Nano‐phototherapy: Favorable prospects for cancer treatment

Abstract

Nanotechnology‐based phototherapies have drawn interest in the fight against cancer because of its noninvasiveness, high flexibility, and precision in terms of cancer targeting and drug delivery based on its surface properties and size. Phototherapy has made remarkable development in recent decades. Approaches to phototherapy, which utilize nanomaterials or nanotechnology have emerged to contribute to advances around nanotechnologies in medicine, particularly for cancers. A brief overviews of the development of photodynamic therapy as well as its mechanism in cancer treatment is provided. We emphasize the design of novel nanoparticles utilized in photodynamic therapy while summarizing the representative progress during the recent years. Finally, to forecast important future research in this area, we examine the viability and promise of photodynamic therapy systems based on nanoparticles in clinical anticancer treatment applications and briefly make mention of the elimination of all reactive metabolites pertaining to nano formulations inside living organisms providing insight into clinical mechanistic processes. Future developments and therapeutic prospects for photodynamic treatments are anticipated. Our viewpoints might encourage scientists to create more potent phototherapy‐based cancer therapeutic modalities.This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Overcoming challenges in cancer treatment: Nano‐enabled photodynamic therapy as a viable solution

“…The PS transitions from the excitons state S 1 to the lowest energy singlet state, S 0 , because of absorbing light. A PS molecule enters the proper, therapeutic triplet state T 1 with the residual energy, some of which is released as a particle of luminescence (Figure 1; Hak et al, 2021; Merlin et al, 2023). Proteins can absorb energy from PS through the environment's excitement in triplet state T 1 .…”

“…High ROS levels cause photodamage to molecules like proteins, lipids, and other types of molecules in the photosensitive zone. As a result, tumor cells undergo direct apoptosis and/or necrosis, which results in their death (Merlin et al, 2023).…”

“…PDT at low concentrations in the mitochondria may cause apoptosis, but PDT at high doses in the plasma membrane area may cause necrosis (Gunaydin et al, 2021). While large doses of PDT may produce necrosis in the plasma membrane region, modest levels of PDT may trigger apoptosis in the mitochondria (Merlin et al, 2023).…”

“…Several techniques were used to introduce apoptosis, a tightly regulated process of cell death, after the PDT‐induced disintegration of organelles (Merlin et al, 2023). Apoptotic cell death is linked to direct cell injury when the PS is found in the mitochondria and results in Bcl‐2 damage and Cyt c release (Peng et al, 2022).…”

“…Every year, about 8 million individuals worldwide succumb to cancer, which substantially increases the burden of cancer‐related mortality rates (Itoo et al, 2022). In 2023, 10 million people will die because of the 20 million additional cases that the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) estimates to have occurred (Merlin et al, 2024; PAHO World Cancer Day, 2023). Breast, lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers were the most prevalent types of cancer that were observed (Suraweera et al, 2023).…”