Use of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles for Cancertreatment: A Comprehensive Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles have shown great therapeutic potential and are a promising strategy for cancer treatment when interacting with photodynamic, photothermal, sonodynamic, and near-infrared light therapies. Such interactions increase cancer cell deaths due to the formation and release of reactive oxygen species, acting as antioxidants in cells and interacting with macromolecules. These nanoparticles have been demonstrated as biocompatible, reactive and chemically stable, with potential application in biomedical areas, especially for cancer treatment. The systematic literature search revealed that 734 documents (603 articles and 131 reviews) were published in the research of titanium dioxide nanoparticles for cancer treatment between 2003 and 2022. The bibliometric analysis of the main keywords demonstrates that photocatalysis was one of the first methods applied to produce of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and nowadays, the production these nanoparticles by green synthesis with biological extracts is an efficient method to produce non-toxic materials for cancer treatment. Despite the scientific expansion of research on the use these nanoparticles, the clinical applicability remains limited, requiring additional in vivo studies for further industrial production on a commercial scale.