Nanotechnology for colorectal cancer detection and treatment.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Across the globe, people in the age group older than 50 are at a higher risk of CRC. Genetic and environmental risk factors play a significant role in the development of CRC. If detected early, CRC is preventable and treatable. Currently, available screening methods and therapies for CRC treatment reduce the incidence rate among the population, but the micrometastasis of cancer may lead to recurrence. Therefore, the challenge is to develop an alternative therapy to overcome this complication. Nanotechnology plays a vital role in cancer treatment and offers targeted chemotherapies directly and selectively to cancer cells, with enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, nanotechnology elevates the chances of patient survival in comparison to traditional chemotherapies. The potential of nanoparticles includes that they may be used simultaneously for diagnosis and treatment. These exciting properties of nanoparticles have enticed researchers worldwide to unveil their use in early CRC detection and as effective treatment. This review discusses contemporary methods of CRC screening and therapies for CRC treatment, while the primary focus is on the theranostic approach of nanotechnology in CRC treatment and its prospects. In addition, this review aims to provide knowledge on the advancement of nanotechnology in CRC and as a starting point for researchers to think about new therapeutic approaches using nanotechnology.

结直肠癌（CRC）是美国第三大常见确诊癌症，也是癌症相关死亡的第二大原因。在全球范围内，50岁以上年龄组的人群患结直肠癌的风险更高。遗传和环境风险因素在结直肠癌的发展中起着重要作用。如果早期发现，结直肠癌是可预防和可治疗的。目前，现有的结直肠癌筛查方法和治疗疗法降低了人群中的发病率，但癌症的微转移可能导致复发。因此，面临的挑战是开发一种替代疗法来克服这一并发症。纳米技术在癌症治疗中起着至关重要的作用，它能直接且有选择性地为癌细胞提供靶向化疗，提高治疗效果。此外，与传统化疗相比，纳米技术提高了患者的生存几率。纳米粒子的潜力包括它们可同时用于诊断和治疗。纳米粒子的这些令人兴奋的特性吸引了世界各地的研究人员去揭示它们在早期结直肠癌检测以及作为有效治疗手段方面的用途。这篇综述讨论了当代结直肠癌筛查方法和治疗疗法，而主要重点是纳米技术在结直肠癌治疗中的诊断治疗一体化方法及其前景。此外，这篇综述旨在提供有关纳米技术在结直肠癌中的进展的知识，并为研究人员思考使用纳米技术的新治疗方法提供一个起点。