Self-Assembled Nanomaterials for Enhanced Phototherapy of Cancer

Following the wisdom of nature to assemble functional candidates into exquisite nanoarchitectures is emerging as a promising field of research and has been widely applied in biomedical sciences. Owing to their excellent properties of structural controllability, functional diversity, dynamic adjustability, and prominent biocompatibility, the self-assembled nanoarchitectures come to play a pivotal role in fighting against cancer. This review outlines the most up-to-date developments in constructing phototherapeutic nanomaterials for photodynamic and photothermal therapy (PDT and PTT) of tumors, with emphasis on design ideas, building blocks, and advantageous characteristics of self-assembly. The prominent activities of cancer therapy obtained by these photoinduced nanotheranostics are also explored in-depth, together with the connections between the specific nanostructures and unique features, providing a comprehensive understanding of the self-assembled nanomaterials in improving the outcomes of PDT and PTT. This review aims to highlight the significance of self-assembled nanomaterials in enhancing phototherapeutic efficacy and to promote its development in various research interests ranging from material science and nanoscience to biomedicine and clinical medicine.

遵循自然智慧将功能候选物组装成精致的纳米结构正在成为一个有前途的研究领域，并已广泛应用于生物医学科学。由于其结构可控性、功能多样性、动态可调节性和突出的生物相容性等优异特性，自组装纳米结构在抗癌方面发挥着关键作用。本综述概述了构建用于肿瘤光动力和光热治疗（PDT 和 PTT）的光疗纳米材料的最新进展，重点介绍了设计理念、构建模块和自组装的有利特性。还深入探讨了这些光诱导纳米治疗在癌症治疗中的突出活性，以及​​特定纳米结构和独特功能之间的联系，提供了对自组装纳米材料在改善 PDT 和 PTT 效果方面的全面了解。本综述旨在强调自组装纳米材料在增强光疗功效方面的重要性，并促进其在从材料科学和纳米科学到生物医学和临床医学等各个研究领域的发展。