Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer

Dimitris Foivos Thanos; Pavlos Pantelis; Giorgos Theocharous; Sylvia Vagena; Cleo Kyriakopoulou; Giannis Pantelidis; Mary Markatou; Myrto Pliakostamou; Nikolaos Papanikolaou; Ekaterina Michaela Tomou; Maria Anna Gatou; Evangelia A. Pavlatou; Natassa Pippa; Vassilis G. Gorgoulis; Nefeli Lagopati

doi:10.3390/molecules31030428

Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer

Dimitris Foivos Thanos
, Pavlos Pantelis
, Giorgos Theocharous
, Sylvia Vagena
, Cleo Kyriakopoulou
, Giannis Pantelidis
, Mary Markatou
, Myrto Pliakostamou
, Nikolaos Papanikolaou
, Ekaterina Michaela Tomou
, Maria Anna Gatou
, Evangelia A. Pavlatou
, Natassa Pippa
, Vassilis G. Gorgoulis
, Nefeli Lagopati (Lead / Corresponding author)

Cancer Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

24 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In recent years, remarkable progress in nanomedicine has been achieved, leading to the development of several nanocarriers which aim to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. Owing to their high versatility and highly tunable physicochemical properties, alumina (Al₂O₃) and silica (SiO₂) substrates represent promising and innovative nanoplatforms that are widely used in biomedical applications, such as drug-delivery, diagnosis, and biosensing in cancer. In particular, such platforms possess multiple advantageous properties, including mechanical stability, high loading capacity, tunable porosity, excellent biocompatibility, and in vitro and in vivo low toxicity. In this review article, we discuss their emerging role as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems in oncology. As such, we describe how these substrates enable the incorporation of antibodies against various cancer biomarkers [e.g., cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)] for the detection of multiple malignancies. Furthermore, we highlight the development of highly promising alumina- and silica-based platforms for drug delivery (e.g., chemotherapeutics, photosensitizers, or gene delivery agents) in cancer. Ultimately, by providing a comprehensive overview alongside a critical analysis, we demonstrate that such nanostructures represent promising platforms for potential clinical translation in cancer medicine, helping to mitigate the limitations of conventional cancer therapies.

Original language	English
Article number	428
Journal	Molecules
Volume	31
Issue number	3
Early online date	26 Jan 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31030428
Publication status	Published - Feb 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

alumina
biosensors
cancer
drug-delivery
nanoplatforms
silica
substrates
theranostics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry
Chemistry (miscellaneous)
Molecular Medicine
Pharmaceutical Science
Drug Discovery
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry

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10.3390/molecules31030428Licence: CC BY

Final published version
© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Final published version, 4.32 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Thanos, D. F., Pantelis, P., Theocharous, G., Vagena, S., Kyriakopoulou, C., Pantelidis, G., Markatou, M., Pliakostamou, M., Papanikolaou, N., Tomou, E. M., Gatou, M. A., Pavlatou, E. A., Pippa, N., Gorgoulis, V. G., & Lagopati, N. (2026). Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer. Molecules, 31(3), Article 428. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31030428

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title = "Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer",

abstract = "In recent years, remarkable progress in nanomedicine has been achieved, leading to the development of several nanocarriers which aim to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. Owing to their high versatility and highly tunable physicochemical properties, alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2) substrates represent promising and innovative nanoplatforms that are widely used in biomedical applications, such as drug-delivery, diagnosis, and biosensing in cancer. In particular, such platforms possess multiple advantageous properties, including mechanical stability, high loading capacity, tunable porosity, excellent biocompatibility, and in vitro and in vivo low toxicity. In this review article, we discuss their emerging role as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems in oncology. As such, we describe how these substrates enable the incorporation of antibodies against various cancer biomarkers [e.g., cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)] for the detection of multiple malignancies. Furthermore, we highlight the development of highly promising alumina- and silica-based platforms for drug delivery (e.g., chemotherapeutics, photosensitizers, or gene delivery agents) in cancer. Ultimately, by providing a comprehensive overview alongside a critical analysis, we demonstrate that such nanostructures represent promising platforms for potential clinical translation in cancer medicine, helping to mitigate the limitations of conventional cancer therapies.",

keywords = "alumina, biosensors, cancer, drug-delivery, nanoplatforms, silica, substrates, theranostics",

author = "Thanos, \{Dimitris Foivos\} and Pavlos Pantelis and Giorgos Theocharous and Sylvia Vagena and Cleo Kyriakopoulou and Giannis Pantelidis and Mary Markatou and Myrto Pliakostamou and Nikolaos Papanikolaou and Tomou, \{Ekaterina Michaela\} and Gatou, \{Maria Anna\} and Pavlatou, \{Evangelia A.\} and Natassa Pippa and Gorgoulis, \{Vassilis G.\} and Nefeli Lagopati",

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Thanos, DF, Pantelis, P, Theocharous, G, Vagena, S, Kyriakopoulou, C, Pantelidis, G, Markatou, M, Pliakostamou, M, Papanikolaou, N, Tomou, EM, Gatou, MA, Pavlatou, EA, Pippa, N, Gorgoulis, VG & Lagopati, N 2026, 'Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer', Molecules, vol. 31, no. 3, 428. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31030428

TY - JOUR

T1 - Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer

AU - Thanos, Dimitris Foivos

AU - Pantelis, Pavlos

AU - Theocharous, Giorgos

AU - Vagena, Sylvia

AU - Kyriakopoulou, Cleo

AU - Pantelidis, Giannis

AU - Markatou, Mary

AU - Pliakostamou, Myrto

AU - Papanikolaou, Nikolaos

AU - Tomou, Ekaterina Michaela

AU - Gatou, Maria Anna

AU - Pavlatou, Evangelia A.

AU - Pippa, Natassa

AU - Gorgoulis, Vassilis G.

AU - Lagopati, Nefeli

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - In recent years, remarkable progress in nanomedicine has been achieved, leading to the development of several nanocarriers which aim to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. Owing to their high versatility and highly tunable physicochemical properties, alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2) substrates represent promising and innovative nanoplatforms that are widely used in biomedical applications, such as drug-delivery, diagnosis, and biosensing in cancer. In particular, such platforms possess multiple advantageous properties, including mechanical stability, high loading capacity, tunable porosity, excellent biocompatibility, and in vitro and in vivo low toxicity. In this review article, we discuss their emerging role as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems in oncology. As such, we describe how these substrates enable the incorporation of antibodies against various cancer biomarkers [e.g., cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)] for the detection of multiple malignancies. Furthermore, we highlight the development of highly promising alumina- and silica-based platforms for drug delivery (e.g., chemotherapeutics, photosensitizers, or gene delivery agents) in cancer. Ultimately, by providing a comprehensive overview alongside a critical analysis, we demonstrate that such nanostructures represent promising platforms for potential clinical translation in cancer medicine, helping to mitigate the limitations of conventional cancer therapies.

AB - In recent years, remarkable progress in nanomedicine has been achieved, leading to the development of several nanocarriers which aim to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. Owing to their high versatility and highly tunable physicochemical properties, alumina (Al2O3) and silica (SiO2) substrates represent promising and innovative nanoplatforms that are widely used in biomedical applications, such as drug-delivery, diagnosis, and biosensing in cancer. In particular, such platforms possess multiple advantageous properties, including mechanical stability, high loading capacity, tunable porosity, excellent biocompatibility, and in vitro and in vivo low toxicity. In this review article, we discuss their emerging role as biosensing platforms and drug delivery systems in oncology. As such, we describe how these substrates enable the incorporation of antibodies against various cancer biomarkers [e.g., cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3), serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)] for the detection of multiple malignancies. Furthermore, we highlight the development of highly promising alumina- and silica-based platforms for drug delivery (e.g., chemotherapeutics, photosensitizers, or gene delivery agents) in cancer. Ultimately, by providing a comprehensive overview alongside a critical analysis, we demonstrate that such nanostructures represent promising platforms for potential clinical translation in cancer medicine, helping to mitigate the limitations of conventional cancer therapies.

KW - alumina

KW - biosensors

KW - cancer

KW - drug-delivery

KW - nanoplatforms

KW - silica

KW - substrates

KW - theranostics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030199828

U2 - 10.3390/molecules31030428

DO - 10.3390/molecules31030428

M3 - Review article

C2 - 41683406

AN - SCOPUS:105030199828

SN - 1420-3049

VL - 31

JO - Molecules

JF - Molecules

IS - 3

M1 - 428

ER -

Interpreting the Theranostic Applications of Alumina and Silica Substrates in Cancer

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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