Background and Objective: Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising area in oncology for improving tumor imaging, treatment selectivity, and therapeutic response. Among the nanomaterials under investigation, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have attracted substantial interest because of their tunable surface chemistry, high atomic number, and optical properties. This narrative review summarizes the current literature on GNP applications in cancer imaging, radiosensitization, and chemotherapy support, with particular emphasis on the translational gap between preclinical findings and clinical implementation. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. English-language articles published through January 2026 were screened using combinations of the terms “gold nanoparticles”, “cancer imaging”, “computed tomography”, “magnetic resonance imaging”, “radiosensitization”, “radiotherapy”, “chemotherapy”, and “chemoradiotherapy”. Original studies and review articles addressing oncologic applications of GNPs were considered. Articles were excluded if they were non-English, not peer reviewed, not focused on cancer, or did not specifically evaluate gold nanoparticles. Evidence was synthesized across imaging, radiation-related applications, chemotherapy support, and translational limitations, with distinction made between in vitro, animal, and human data when available. Key Content and Findings: GNPs can enhance X-ray attenuation, serve as multifunctional imaging platforms, and increase radiation response through physical and biological mechanisms. They have also been investigated as drug-delivery and chemoradiotherapy-support platforms. However, much of the current evidence remains preclinical, and reported efficacy varies according to particle size, coating, tumor model, radiation energy, and delivery strategy. Clinical translation remains limited by concerns related to biodistribution, long-term safety, manufacturing reproducibility, and regulatory standardization. Conclusions: Gold nanoparticles remain a promising platform for oncologic imaging and therapy, but their clinical role has not yet been fully established. Future progress will depend on better standardization of nanoparticle design, more transparent study methodology, and stronger clinical evidence addressing safety, efficacy, and translational feasibility.
References
[1]
Hainfeld, J.F., Slatkin, D.N. and Smilowitz, H.M. (2004) The Use of Gold Nanoparticles to Enhance Radiotherapy in Mice. PhysicsinMedicineandBiology, 49, N309-N315. https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/49/18/n03
[2]
Gavas, S., Quazi, S. and Karpiński, T.M. (2021) Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy: Current Progress and Challenges. NanoscaleResearchLetters, 16, Article No. 173. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-021-03628-6
[3]
Hainfeld, J.F., Dilmanian, F.A., Slatkin, D.N. and Smilowitz, H.M. (2008) Radiotherapy Enhancement with Gold Nanoparticles. JournalofPharmacyandPharmacology, 60, 977-985. https://doi.org/10.1211/jpp.60.8.0005
[4]
Sun, L., Liu, H., Ye, Y., Lei, Y., Islam, R., Tan, S., etal. (2023) Smart Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy. SignalTransductionandTargetedTherapy, 8, Article No. 418. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01642-x
[5]
Hossain, M. and Su, M. (2012) Nanoparticle Location and Material-Dependent Dose Enhancement in X-Ray Radiation Therapy. TheJournalofPhysicalChemistryC, 116, 23047-23052. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp306543q
[6]
Jain, S., Hirst, D.G. and O’Sullivan, J.M. (2012) Gold Nanoparticles as Novel Agents for Cancer Therapy. TheBritishJournalofRadiology, 85, 101-113. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr/59448833
[7]
McMahon, S.J., Hyland, W.B., Muir, M.F., Coulter, J.A., Jain, S., Butterworth, K.T., etal. (2011) Biological Consequences of Nanoscale Energy Deposition near Irradiated Heavy Atom Nanoparticles. ScientificReports, 1, Article No. 18. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep00018
[8]
Niżnik, Ł., Noga, M., Kobylarz, D., Frydrych, A., Krośniak, A., Kapka-Skrzypczak, L., etal. (2024) Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs)—Toxicity, Safety and Green Synthesis: A Critical Review. InternationalJournalofMolecularSciences, 25, Article 4057. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25074057
[9]
Mesbahi, A. (2010) A Review on Gold Nanoparticles Radiosensitization Effect in Radiation Therapy of Cancer. ReportsofPracticalOncology&Radiotherapy, 15, 176-180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rpor.2010.09.001
[10]
Popovtzer, R., Agrawal, A., Kotov, N.A., Popovtzer, A., Balter, J., Carey, T.E., etal. (2008) Targeted Gold Nanoparticles Enable Molecular CT Imaging of Cancer. NanoLetters, 8, 4593-4596. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl8029114
[11]
Reuveni, T., Motiei, M., Romman, Z., et al. (2011) Targeted Gold Nanoparticles Enable Molecular CT Imaging of Cancer: An inVivo Study. InternationalJournalofNanomedicine, 6, 2859-2864. https://doi.org/10.2147/ijn.s25446
[12]
Eck, W., Nicholson, A.I., Zentgraf, H., Semmler, W. and Bartling, S. (2010) Anti-CD4-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles Induce Specific Contrast Enhancement of Peripheral Lymph Nodes in X-Ray Computed Tomography of Live Mice. NanoLetters, 10, 2318-2322. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl101019s
[13]
Georgeous, J., AlSawaftah, N., Abuwatfa, W.H. and Husseini, G.A. (2024) Review of Gold Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Properties, Shapes, Cellular Uptake, Targeting, Release Mechanisms and Applications in Drug Delivery and Therapy. Pharmaceutics, 16, Article 1332. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16101332
[14]
Choi, J., Jun, Y., Yeon, S., Kim, H.C., Shin, J. and Cheon, J. (2006) Biocompatible Heterostructured Nanoparticles for Multimodal Biological Detection. JournaloftheAmericanChemicalSociety, 128, 15982-15983. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja066547g
[15]
Dorsey, J.F., Sun, L., Joh, D.Y., etal. (2013) Gold Nanoparticles in Radiation Research: Potential Applications for Imaging and Radiosensitization. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 280-291.
Hainfeld, J.F., O’Connor, M.J., Dilmanian, F.A., Slatkin, D.N., Adams, D.J. and Smilowitz, H.M. (2011) Micro-CT Enables Microlocalisation and Quantification of Her2-Targeted Gold Nanoparticles within Tumour Regions. TheBritishJournalofRadiology, 84, 526-533. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr/42612922
[18]
Chang, M., Shiau, A., Chen, Y., Chang, C., Chen, H.H. and Wu, C. (2008) Increased Apoptotic Potential and Dose‐Enhancing Effect of Gold Nanoparticles in Combination with Single‐Dose Clinical Electron Beams on Tumor‐Bearing Mice. CancerScience, 99, 1479-1484. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1349-7006.2008.00827.x
[19]
Penninckx, S., Heuskin, A., Michiels, C. and Lucas, S. (2020) Gold Nanoparticles as a Potent Radiosensitizer: A Transdisciplinary Approach from Physics to Patient. Cancers, 12, Article 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12082021
[20]
Polf, J.C., Bronk, L.F., Driessen, W.H.P., Arap, W., Pasqualini, R. and Gillin, M. (2011) Enhanced Relative Biological Effectiveness of Proton Radiotherapy in Tumor Cells with Internalized Gold Nanoparticles. AppliedPhysicsLetters, 98, Article 193702. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3589914
[21]
Kim, J., Seo, S., Kim, H., Kim, K., Chung, M., Kim, K., etal. (2012) Enhanced Proton Treatment in Mouse Tumors through Proton Irradiated Nanoradiator Effects on Metallic Nanoparticles. PhysicsinMedicineandBiology, 57, 8309-8323. https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9155/57/24/8309
[22]
Eblan, M.J. and Wang, A.Z. (2013) Improving Chemoradiotherapy with Nanoparticle Therapeutics. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 320-329.
[23]
Hheidari, A., Mohammadi, J., Ghodousi, M., Mahmoodi, M., Ebrahimi, S., Pishbin, E., etal. (2024) Metal-Based Nanoparticle in Cancer Treatment: Lessons Learned and Challenges. FrontiersinBioengineeringandBiotechnology, 12, Article ID: 1436297. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1436297
[24]
Hobbs, S.K., Monsky, W.L., Yuan, F., Roberts, W.G., Griffith, L., Torchilin, V.P., etal. (1998) Regulation of Transport Pathways in Tumor Vessels: Role of Tumor Type and Microenvironment. ProceedingsoftheNationalAcademyofSciences, 95, 4607-4612. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.95.8.4607
[25]
Jain, R.K. and Stylianopoulos, T. (2010) Delivering Nanomedicine to Solid Tumors. NatureReviewsClinicalOncology, 7, 653-664. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2010.139
[26]
Kwatra, D., Venugopal, A. and Anant, S. (2013) Nanoparticles in Radiation Therapy: A Summary of Various Approaches to Enhance Radiosensitization in Cancer. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 330-342.
[27]
Noguchi, Y., Wu, J., Duncan, R., Strohalm, J., Ulbrich, K., Akaike, T., etal. (1998) Early Phase Tumor Accumulation of Macromolecules: A Great Difference in Clearance Rate between Tumor and Normal Tissues. JapaneseJournalofCancerResearch, 89, 307-314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1349-7006.1998.tb00563.x
[28]
Maeda, H., Wu, J., Sawa, T., Matsumura, Y. and Hori, K. (2000) Tumor Vascular Permeability and the EPR Effect in Macromolecular Therapeutics: A Review. JournalofControlledRelease, 65, 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0168-3659(99)00248-5
[29]
Chauhan, V.P., Stylianopoulos, T., Boucher, Y. and Jain, R.K. (2011) Delivery of Molecular and Nanoscale Medicine to Tumors: Transport Barriers and Strategies. AnnualReviewofChemicalandBiomolecularEngineering, 2, 281-298. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-061010-114300
[30]
Lammers, T., Subr, V., Peschke, P., Kühnlein, R., Hennink, W.E., Ulbrich, K., etal. (2008) Image-Guided and Passively Tumour-Targeted Polymeric Nanomedicines for Radiochemotherapy. BritishJournalofCancer, 99, 900-910. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6604561
[31]
Lammers, T., Peschke, P., Kühnlein, R., Subr, V., Ulbrich, K., Debus, J., etal. (2007) Effect of Radiotherapy and Hyperthermia on the Tumor Accumulation of HPMA Copolymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems. JournalofControlledRelease, 117, 333-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2006.10.032
[32]
Longmire, M., Choyke, P.L. and Kobayashi, H. (2008) Clearance Properties of Nano-Sized Particles and Molecules as Imaging Agents: Considerations and Caveats. Nanomedicine, 3, 703-717. https://doi.org/10.2217/17435889.3.5.703
[33]
O’Brien, M.E.R., Wigler, N., Inbar, M., Rosso, R., Grischke, E., Santoro, A., etal. (2004) Reduced Cardiotoxicity and Comparable Efficacy in a Phase Iiitrial of Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin HCL(CAELYX™/Doxil®) versus Conventional Doxorubicin Forfirst-Line Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer. AnnalsofOncology, 15, 440-449. https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdh097
[34]
Chatterjee, D.K., Wolfe, T., Lee, J., etal. (2013) Convergence of Nanotechnology with Radiation Therapy-Insights and Implications for Clinical Translation. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 256-268.
[35]
Butterworth, K.T., McMahon, S.J., Taggart, L.E. and Prise, K.M. (2013) Radiosensitization by Gold Nanoparticles: Effective at Megavoltage Energies and Potential Role of Oxidative Stress. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 269-279.
[36]
Urban, C., Urban, A.S., Charron, H. and Joshi, A. (2013) Externally Modulated Theranostic Nanoparticles. Translational Cancer Research, 2, 292-308.
[37]
Sharma, D.K. (2025) Recent Advancements in Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment. MedicalOncology, 42, Article No. 72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-025-02609-4
