Cancer
immunotherapy aims to reinitiate the autoimmune responses
for fighting cancer cells. Immunomodulators, such as immune vaccines,
adjuvants, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, have been extensively
developed to activate the immune response against cancer. However,
it is disadvantageous to directly apply immunomodulators in cancer
immunotherapy for the following reasons: (I) instability of immunomodulators;
(II) immunomodulators easily cleared; (III) uncontrolled immune response.
Many efforts have been made to overcome these drawbacks, among which
loading immunomodulators by nanocarriers is a simple and effective
method. Nanocarriers can not only protect immunomodulators from degradation
but also control their release and extend their blood circulation
time. Some nanocarriers can specifically enrich in immune cells or
organs to regulate their connection to further modulate the immune
system. Besides, response-type nanocarriers can also be designed as
required to control the release of immunomodulators to reduce immune-related
adverse events. Of note, nanocarriers with excellent photothermal
or photodynamic properties play the crucial role in inducing immunogenic
cell death for enhanced cancer immunotherapy. In this review, various
nanocarriers and their bioapplications in cancer immunotherapy have
been summarized. We outlined the inorganic, organic, and organic–inorganic
hybrid nanocarriers and the designing of effective nanocarrier-based
immune interventions. The prospects and drawbacks of nanocarriers
were also further reviewed in this work. This review will provide
vital guidance for the design and synthesis of nanocarriers for application
in cancer immunotherapy.