Previously, a large volume of papers reports that gold nanorods (Au NRs) are able to effectively kill cancer cells upon high laser doses (usually 808 nm, 1-48 W/cm²) irradiation, leading to hyperthermia-induced destruction of cancer cells, i.e, photothermal therapy (PTT) effects. Combination of Au NRs-mediated PTT and organic photosensitizers-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) were also reported to achieve synergistic PTT and PDT effects on killing cancer cells. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that Au NRs alone can sensitize formation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) and exert dramatic PDT effects on complete destrcution of tumors in mice under very low LED/laser doses of single photon NIR (915 nm, <130 mW/cm²) light excitation. By changing the NIR light excitation wavelengths, Au NRs-mediated phototherapeutic effects can be switched from PDT to PTT or combination of both. Both PDT and PTT effects were confirmed by measurements of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heat shock protein (HSP 70), singlet oxygen sensor green (SOSG) sensing, and sodium azide quenching in cellular experiments. In vivo mice experiments further show that the PDT effect via irradiation of Au NRs by 915 nm can destruct the B16F0 melanoma tumor in mice far more effectively than doxorubicin (a clinically used anti-cancer drug) as well as the PTT effect (via irradiation of Au NRs by 780 nm light). In addition, we show that Au NRs can emit single photon-induced fluorescence to illustrate their in vivo locations/distribution.

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Upon excitation with near-infrared light (980 nm), PEGylated W18 O49 nanowires can sensitize the formation of singlet oxygen and thus reactive oxygen species (ROS). The resulting photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect can cause the destruction of tumors in the absence of organic photosensitizers. PEG=poly(ethylene glycol), PTT=photothermal therapy.

Designing a single multifunctional nanoparticle that can simultaneously impart both diagnostic and therapeutic functions is considered to be a long‐lasting hurdle for biomedical researchers. Conventionally, a multifunctional nanoparticle can be constructed by integrating organic dyes/magnetic nanoparticles to impart diagnostic functions and anticancer drugs/photosensitizers to achieve therapeutic outcomes. These multicomponents systems usually suffer from severe photobleaching problems and cannot be activated by near‐infrared (NIR) light. Here, it is demonstrated that all‐in‐one lanthanide‐doped mesoporous silica frameworks (EuGdOx@MSF) loaded with an anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX) can facilitate simultaneous bimodal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with approximately twofold higher T1‐MR contrast as compared to the commercial Gd(III)‐DTPA complex and fluorescence imaging with excellent photostability. Upon a very low dose (130 mW cm−2) of NIR light (980 nm) irradiation, the EuGdOx@MSF not only can sensitize formation of singlet oxygen (1O2) by itself but also can phototrigger the release of the DOX payload effectively to exert combined chemo‐photodynamic therapeutic (PDT) effects and destroy solid tumors in mice completely. It is also discovered for the first time that the EuGdOx@MSF‐mediated PDT effect can suppress the level of the key drug resistant protein, i.e., p‐glycoprotein (p‐gp) and help alleviate the drug resistant problem commonly associated with many cancers.