Introduction: Nanomaterials, due to their excellent physicochemical properties, are currently widely used in medicine, in particular in the treatment of cancer or neurological and infectious diseases. Technologies such as carbon nanotubes, metal nanoparticles, polymeric proteins or liposomes are used both in the diagnostic and treatment process. An especially important direction of using this technology seems to be targeted drug transport, significantly improving the pharmacokinetic parameters of the used drugs. Aim. The aim of the systematic review was to determine the efficacy and safety profile associated with the clinical use of nab-paclitaxel (NAB) (therapeutic substance linked with albumin) compared to the standard paclitaxel (PAK) in the treatment of patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Material and methods. The systematic review was carried out by the AOTMiT guidelines as well as the Cochrane Library. The publications included in the review were consistent with the identified during the work “inclusion and exclusion criteria” of the studies. As a measure of the effectiveness of the analyzed technologies, PFS parameters (time free from recurrence of the disease) and pCR (total pathological response) were adopted. Regarding the analysis of safety profile, all adverse effects described in the publications were included in the review. Results. The obtained results indicate a potentially higher efficiency of NAB compared to PAK, confirming the rightness of using nanotechnology to improve the drug distribution parameters in terms of both the PFS and cPR parameters. NAB used in reference doses (100-125 mg) also causes much fewer side effects compared to the standard equivalent. The use of NAB gives particularly good results in groups of patients with poor prognosis. Conclusions. It should be noted that NAB, while maintaining the appropriate dosage, turns out to be both more effective and safer for patients using chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer.

Key words: paclitaxel, albumin, nanotechnology, systematic review.