Molecular Design and Controlled Self-Assembly of Copolymers as Core-Shell-Corona Nanoparticles for Smarter Tumor Treatment.

Copolymer-based core-shell-corona nanoparticles have attracted more interest for tumor chemotherapy, owing to their unique multifunctionality benefiting from their unique multilevel topological structure in comparison with the conventional core-shell ones. Here, the recent progress in such core-shell-corona nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) in tumor chemotherapy was reviewed, focusing on additive functionality of the shell layer for controlled drug release performance from the viewpoints of the molecular design and controlled self-assembly, such as stimuli-responsive gatekeepers, independent loading of active substances, and so on. Moreover, future perspectives have been prospected for smarter tumor treatment.