Chemodynamic Therapy Strategies in Cancer Treatment

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) harnesses in situ chemical reactions to convert naturally elevated hydrogen peroxide within the acidic tumour microenvironment into highly toxic hydroxyl radicals. By exploiting Fenton or Fenton‐like reactions catalysed by transition metal ions such as iron, copper or manganese, CDT induces oxidative stress selectively within malignant tissue. Recent advances have focused on enhancing catalytic efficiency, overcoming endogenous antioxidant defences and integrating CDT with complementary modalities. Strategies include the design of smart nanocarriers that deliver both catalysts and substrates, the development of multifunctional frameworks that provide sustained metal ion release, and the incorporation of enzyme‐mimetic cascades to boost local reactive oxygen species generation. Synergistic approaches combine CDT with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or photothermal therapy to amplify tumour cell killing and counteract resistance. Remodelling of the tumour milieu through pH modulation and glutathione depletion further augments Fenton activity. Collectively, these innovations promise a non-invasive, highly targeted platform for tumour ablation with minimal systemic toxicity.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Chemodynamic Therapy Strategies in Cancer Treatment publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in chemodynamic therapy strategies in cancer treatment across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Fenton reaction: Transition metal-catalysed conversion of hydrogen peroxide into hydroxyl radicals under acidic conditions.

Tumour microenvironment (TME): Local biological milieu of a tumour, characterised by mild acidity, elevated hydrogen peroxide and high antioxidant levels.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive derivatives of oxygen, including hydroxyl radicals, that induce oxidative damage in cells.

Metal-organic framework (MOF): Porous crystalline network of metal ions and organic ligands, used for targeted delivery of catalytic agents.

Glutathione (GSH): Key intracellular antioxidant tripeptide that neutralises ROS and can inhibit chemodynamic activity.

References

1. Tumor microenvironment-oriented MOFs for chemodynamic therapy. Coordination Chemistry Reviews (2023).
2. DNA Adjuvant Hydrogel‐Optimized Enzymatic Cascade Reaction for Tumor Chemodynamic‐Immunotherapy. Advanced Science (2024).
3. Tumor acidification and GSH depletion by bimetallic composite nanoparticles for enhanced chemodynamic therapy of TNBC. Journal of Nanobiotechnology (2024).