Table 1 A comprehensive overview of the advantages and disadvantages associated with various generations of phototherapeutic agents
From: Phototherapy in cancer treatment: strategies and challenges
Categories | PTs | Strengths | Limitations |
---|---|---|---|
Nobel metal NPs | Au nanorods | 1). High tunability 2). The optical properties depend on the shapes, sizes, and atomic quantities. 3). High surface area 4). Good biocompatibility 5). Stable under irradiation 6). Facile surface modification 7). High extinction coefficient | 1). The long-term toxicity and systemic toxicity of nanomaterials require further investigation. 2). The penetration ability of nanomaterials within heterogeneous tumor tissues needs more exploration. 3). Nanosensitizers have yet to effectively address the reduced efficacy of PDT caused by the tumor’s hypoxic microenvironment and inadequate light penetration in deep tissues. 4). Composite nanomaterials with multiple strategies require complex synthesis processes, have low reproducibility rates, and cannot be mass-produced. |
Au nanoshells | |||
Au nanoechinus | |||
Au nanoclusters | |||
Semiconductor photocatalyst nanoparticles | TiO2 | 1). NIR light excitation, providing enhanced tissue penetration. 2). Good biocompatibility. 3). Flexible optical properties | |
ZnO | |||
BiVO4 | |||
g-C3N4 | |||
Carbon-based nanomaterials | Carbon nanotubes | 1). Generation of ROS even in hypoxic TME. 2). Ease of surface functionalization. 2). Good biocompatibility. 3). High stability and low photobleaching. | |
Graphene | |||
Oxidized graphene | |||
Fullerene | |||
2D nanomaterials | 2D-LDH | 1). Enhanced optical and electrical properties. 2). Large surface area-to-volume ratio. 3). Good biocompatibility. 4). Tunable bandgap with layers independence | |
2D-TMDCs | |||
TMOs | |||
MXene | |||
2D-MOF | |||
BP | |||
SACs | |||
AIEgens | CdSe | Addressing the low ROS production caused by the aggregation quenching of traditional PSs. | |
CdTe | |||
QD | SQDs | 1). Strong light absorption capacity and high ROS generation ratio. 2). Broad excitation spectra, narrow emission spectra, and large Stokes shifts. 3). Size and composition tunable emission. 4). Ease of surface modification. 5). Great molar extinction coefficients. 6). Good stability | |
CQDs | |||
CND | |||
GDQs | |||
Cu-Cy | Cu-Cy | 1). can be excited by X-rays, ultrasound, microwaves. 2). can undergo Fenton-like reactions with H2O2 to produce ROS. |