Synergistic therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment based on nanophototherapy

Abstract

Treatment of malignant tumors has always been a worldwide challenge. The complexity, diversity, and heterogeneity of tumors have prompted the treatment strategies to gradually shift from monotherapy to combination therapy that can synergize multiple treatment modalities. With unique physical and chemical properties, nanomaterials have been widely used in different cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and phototherapy. Especially, the variability and integrity of nanomaterials make them ideal media for synergistic collaboration strategies. Here, we provide our perspective on the synergistic strategy of nanoplatform-mediated phototherapies and related combination therapies, specifically photochemotherapy, photoradiotherapy, and photoimmunotherapy. Besides, we provide an analysis and outlook on the current challenges faced by synergistic nanophototherapy.