We report here a simple, high-yield yet low-cost approach to design single-layer MoS2 nanosheets with controllable size via an improved oleum treatment exfoliation process. By decorating MoS2 nanosheets with chitosan, these functionalized MoS2 nanosheets have been developed as a chemotherapeutic drug nanocarrier for near-infrared (NIR) photothermal-triggered drug delivery, facilitating the combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy into one system for cancer therapy. Loaded doxorubicin could be controllably released upon the photothermal effect induced by 808 nm NIR laser irradiation. In vitro and in vivo tumor ablation studies demonstrate a better synergistic therapeutic effect of the combined treatment, compared with either chemotherapy or photothermal therapy alone. Finally, MoS2 nanosheets can also be used as a promising contrast agent in X-ray computed tomography imaging due to the obvious X-ray absorption ability of Mo. As a result, the high-throughput oleum treatment exfoliation process could be extended for fabricating other 2D nanomaterials, and the NIR-triggered drug release strategy was encouraging for simultaneous imaging-guided cancer theranostic application.

Here, we present a precision cancer nanomedicine based on Bi(2)S(3) nanorods (NRs) designed specifically for multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT)/X-ray computed tomography (CT)-guided photothermal therapy (PTT). The as-prepared Bi(2)S(3) NRs possess ideal photothermal effect and contrast enhancement in MSOT/CT bimodal imaging. These features make them simultaneously act as "satellite" and "precision targeted weapon" for the visual guide to destruction of tumors in vivo, realizing effective tumor destruction and metastasis inhibition after intravenous injection. In addition, toxicity screening confirms that Bi(2)S(3) NRs have well biocompatibility. This triple-modality-nanoparticle approach enables simultaneously precise cancer therapy and therapeutic monitoring.