Therapeutic Management of Lymphoma: Conventional Strategies and Overcoming Treatment Barriers with Nanotherapeutics

According to the American Cancer Society, the prevalence of lymphoma remains high in the United States with an estimated 90,390 new cases, and 21,680 deaths annually. Although current chemotherapeutic regimens approved by the FDA can effectively improve treatment outcomes, the prognosis remains poor with numerous complications. Current therapeutic strategies have faced multiple challenges limiting desired therapeutic effects. With the multitude of clinical barriers faced by conventional treatment strategies, researchers continue to explore the use of nanotherapeutics over more conventional treatment options. The engineered nanoparticles include starting materials from a number of biocompatible sources, and the final products can safely incorporate therapeutic agents, improve drug selectivity to tumor targets, and enhance efficacy profiles, all while reducing toxicity associated with the drug payload. These are tremendous potential advantages. This review summarizes the molecular basis of lymphoma, disease progression, and therapeutic challenges encountered during treatment. The discussions further highlight preclinical and clinical results at the different clinical stages, reviewing the different types of lymphoma, and summarizing how nanotherapeutics have addressed challenges confronting treatment.