Nanozyme-Based Cancer Nanotheranostics: Emerging Applications and Challenges in Brain Cancer Therapeutics

Regrettably, despite undeniable advances in cancer diagnosis and therapy, primary brain cancer (or brain cancer) remains one of the deadliest forms of malignant tumors, where glioblastoma (GBM) is known as the most malignant diffuse glioma of astrocytic lineage. Fortunately, to improve this scenario, remarkable progress in nanotechnology has brought new promise and raised expectations in cancer treatment. Nanomedicine, principally an area amalgamating nanotechnology with biology and medicine, has demonstrated a pivotal role, starting with the earliest detection and diagnosis while also offering novel multimodal cancer therapy alternatives. In the vast realm of nanotechnology, nanozymes, a type of nanomaterial with intrinsic enzyme-like activities and characteristics connecting the fields of nanocatalysts, enzymology, and biology, have emerged as powerful nanotools for cancer theranostics. Hence, this fascinating field of research has experienced exponential growth in recent years. As it is virtually impossible to cover all the literature on this broad domain of science in one paper, this review focuses on presenting a multidisciplinary approach, with its content extending from fundamental knowledge of nanozymes and enzyme-mimicking catalysis to the most recent advances in nanozymes for therapy targeting brain cancers. Although we are at the very early stages of research, it can be envisioned that the strategic development of nanozymes in brain cancer theranostics will positively offer disruptive nanoplatforms for future nano-oncology.