cancers Review Requirements for Designing an Effective Metallic Nanoparticle (NP)-Boosted Radiation Therapy (RT) Ioanna Tremi 1,† , Ellas Spyratou 2,†, Maria Souli 1,3, Efstathios P. Efstathopoulos 2 , Mersini Makropoulou 1, Alexandros G. Georgakilas 1,* and Lembit Sihver 3,4,* 1 DNA Damage Laboratory, Department of Physics, School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15780 Athens, Greece;
[email protected] (I.T.);
[email protected] (M.S.);
[email protected] (M.M.) 2 2nd Department of Radiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11517 Athens, Greece;
[email protected] (E.S.);
[email protected] (E.P.E.) 3 Atominstitut, Technische Universität Wien, Stadionallee 2, 1020 Vienna, Austria 4 Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden * Correspondence:
[email protected] (A.G.G.);
[email protected] (L.S.) † These authors contribute equally to this work. Simple Summary: Recent advances in nanotechnology gave rise to trials with various types of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance the radiosensitization of cancer cells while reducing or maintaining the normal tissue complication probability during radiation therapy. This work reviews the physical and chemical mechanisms leading to the enhancement of ionizing radiation’s detrimental effects on cells and tissues, as well as the plethora of experimental procedures to study these effects of the so-called “NPs’ radiosensitization”. The paper presents the need to a better understanding of Citation: Tremi, I.; Spyratou, E.; all the phases of actions before applying metallic-based NPs in clinical practice to improve the effect Souli, M.; Efstathopoulos, E.P.; of IR therapy.