Nano-Gels: Recent Advancement in Fabrication Methods for Mitigation of Skin Cancer

In the 21st century, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers have become an epidemic outbreak worldwide. Therefore, the exploration of all potential preventative and therapeutic measures based on either physical or bio-chemical mechanisms is essential via understanding precise pathophysiological pathways (Mitogen-activated protein kinase, Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase Pathway, and Notch signaling pathway) and other aspects of such skin malignancies. Nano-gel, a three-dimensional polymeric cross-linked porous hydrogel having a diameter of 20–200 nm, possesses dual properties of both hydrogel and nanoparticle. The capacity of high drug entrapment efficiency with greater thermodynamic stability, remarkable solubilization potential, and swelling behavior of nano-gel becomes a promising candidate as a targeted drug delivery system in the treatment of skin cancer. Nano-gel can be either synthetically or architectonically modified for responding to either internal or external stimuli, including radiation, ultrasound, enzyme, magnetic, pH, temperature, and oxidation-reduction to achieve controlled release of pharmaceuticals and several bio-active molecules such as proteins, peptides, genes via amplifying drug aggregation in the active targeted tissue and reducing adverse pharmacological effects. Several drugs, such as anti-neoplastic biomolecules having short biological half-lives and prompt enzyme degradability capacity, must be appropriate for administration employing either chemically bridged or physically constructed nano-gel frameworks. The comprehensive review summarizes the advancement in the preparation and characterization methods of targeted nano-gel with enhanced pharmacological potential and preserved intracellular safety limits for the mitigation of skin malignancies with a special emphasize on skin cancer inducing pathophysiological pathways and prospective research opportunities for skin malignancy targeted nano-gels.