Advances in biodegradable nanomaterials for photothermal therapy of cancer.

Chao-Feng He; Shun-Hao Wang; He-Yun Shen; Hui-Ling Gao; Hui-Yu Liu; Ying-Jie Yu; Yan Zhao; Hai Wang; Lin-Lin Li

Photothermal cancer therapy is an alternative to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. With the development of nanophotothermal agents, this therapy holds immense potential in clinical translation. However, the toxicity issues derived from the fact that nanomaterials are trapped and retained in the reticuloendothelial systems limit their biomedical application. Developing biodegradable photothermal agents is the most practical route to address these concerns. In addition to the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, various internal and external stimuli play key roles on nanomaterials uptake, transport, and clearance. In this review, we summarized novel nanoplatforms for photothermal therapy; these nanoplatforms can elicit stimuli-triggered degradation. We focused on the recent innovative designs endowed with biodegradable photothermal agents under different stimuli, including enzyme, pH, and near-infrared (NIR) laser.

PHOTOTHERMAL spectroscopy; CANCER chemotherapy; NEAR infrared radiation; ALTERNATIVE treatment for cancer; BIODEGRADATION; NANOSTRUCTURED materials

Cancer Biology & Medicine, 2016, Vol 13, p299

2095-3941

Academic Journal

10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2016.0052