Traditional　chemotherapy　used　today　at　clinics　is　mainly　inherited　from　the　thinking　and　designs　made　four　decades　ago　when　the　Cancer　War　was　declared.　The　potency　of　those　chemotherapy　drugs　on　in-vitro　cancer　cells　is　clearly　demonstrated　at　even　nanomolar　levels.　However,　due　to　their　non-specific　effects　in　the　body　on　normal　tissues,　these　drugs　cause　toxicity,　deteriorate　patient＇s　life　quality,　weaken　the　host　immunosurveillance　system,　and　result　in　an　irreversible　damage　to　human＇s　own　recovery　power.　Owing　to　their　unique　physical　and　biological　properties,　nanotechnology-based　chemotherapies　seem　to　have　an　ability　to　specifically　and　safely　reach　tumor　foci　with　enhanced　efficacy　and　low　toxicity.　Herein,　we　comprehensively　examine　the　current　nanotechnology-based　pharmaceutical　platforms　and　strategies　for　intelligent　design　of　new　nanomedicines　based　on　targeted　drug　delivery　system　(TDDS)　for　cancer　metastasis　treatment,　analyze　the　pros　and　cons　of　nanomedicines　versus　traditional　chemotherapy,　and　evaluate　the　importance　that　nanomaterials　can　bring　in　to　significantly　improve　cancer　metastasis　treatment.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.