Block copolymer prodrugs (BCPs) have emerged as one of the most promising anticancer drug delivery strategies, which can self-assemble into nanoparticles with optimal physicochemical properties including sizes, morphologies, surface properties, and integration of multifunction for improved in vivo applications. Moreover, the utility of stimuli-responsive linkages to conjugate drugs onto the polymer backbones can achieve efficient and targeting drug release. Several BCP micellar delivery systems have been pushed ahead into the clinical trials, which showed great promising potentials for cancer therapy. In recent years, various novel and more efficient BCP systems have been developed for better in vivo performance. In this focus article, we focus on the recent advances of BCPs including the synthesis, self-assembly, and applications for cancer therapy. The synthetic methods are first introduced, and the self-assembly of BCPs for in vivo anticancer applications is discussed along the line of varying endogenous stimuli-responsive linkages including amide or ester bonds, pH, reduction, and oxidation-responsive linkages. Finally, conclusions along with the brief future perspectives are presented. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.

中文翻译：

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嵌段共聚物前药：合成，自组装及其在癌症治疗中的应用。

嵌段共聚物前药（BCP）已经成为最有前途的抗癌药物递送策略之一，可以自组装成具有最佳物理化学特性（包括大小，形态，表面特性以及多功能集成）的纳米粒子，从而改善了体内应用。此外，将刺激反应性连接物偶联到聚合物主链上的效用可以实现有效的靶向药物释放。几种BCP胶束递送系统已被推进临床试验，显示出巨大的有望用于癌症治疗的潜力。近年来，为了更好的体内性能，已经开发了各种新颖且更有效的BCP系统。在本重点文章中，我们重点介绍BCP的最新进展，包括合成，自组装，及其在癌症治疗中的应用。首先介绍了合成方法，然后沿着变化的内源性刺激响应键（包括酰胺键或酯键，pH，还原和氧化响应键）讨论了BCP在体内抗癌应用中的自组装。最后，提出了结论以及未来的简要观点。本文归类于：治疗方法和药物发现>肿瘤疾病的纳米药物纳米生物学方法>生物学中的纳米系统。介绍了结论以及未来的简要观点。本文归类于：治疗方法和药物发现>肿瘤疾病的纳米药物纳米生物学方法>生物学中的纳米系统。介绍了结论以及未来的简要观点。本文归类于：治疗方法和药物发现>肿瘤疾病的纳米药物纳米生物学方法>生物学中的纳米系统。