Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was clinically approved in 2020 and exhibits remarkable tumour rejection in preclinical and clinical studies. It is binary radiotherapy that may selectively deposit two deadly high-energy particles (4He and 7Li) within a cancer cell. As a radiotherapy induced by localized nuclear reaction, few studies have reported its abscopal anti-tumour effect, which has limited its further clinical applications. Here, we engineer a neutron-activated boron capsule that synergizes BNCT and controlled immune adjuvants release to provoke a potent anti-tumour immune response. This study demonstrates that boron neutron capture nuclear reaction forms considerable defects in boron capsule that augments the drug release. The following single-cell sequencing unveils the fact and mechanism that BNCT heats anti-tumour immunity. In female mice tumour models, BNCT and the controlled drug release triggered by localized nuclear reaction causes nearly complete regression of both primary and distant tumour grafts.

Tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) as an important component of tumor microenvironment (TME) are closely related with the occurrence, development, and metastasis of malignant tumors. TAMs are generally identified as two distinct functional populations in TME, i.e., inflammatory/anti-tumorigenic (M1) and regenerative/pro-tumorigenic (M2) phenotype. Evidence suggests that occupation of the TME by M2-TAMs is closely related to the inactivation of anti-tumor immune cells such as T cells in TME. Recently, efforts have been made to reeducate TAMs from M2- to M1- phenotype to enhance cancer immunotherapy, and great progress has been made in realizing efficient modulation of TAMs using nanomedicines. To help readers better understand this emerging field, the potential TAM reeducation targets for potentiating cancer immunotherapy and the underlying mechanisms are summarized in this review. Moreover, the most recent advances in utilizing nanomedicine for the TAM immunomodulation for augmented cancer immunotherapy are introduced. Finally, we conclude with our perspectives on the future development in this field.

A bioresponsive polymeric nanocarrier for drug delivery is able to alter its physical and physicochemical properties in response to a variety of biological signals and pathological changes, and can exert its therapeutic efficacy within a confined space. These nanosystems can optimize the biodistribution and subcellular location of therapeutics by exploiting the differences in biochemical properties between tumors and normal tissues. Moreover, bioresponsive polymer-based nanosystems could be rationally designed as precision therapeutic platforms by optimizing the combination of responsive elements and therapeutic components according to the patient-specific disease type and stage. In this review, recent advances in smart bioresponsive polymeric nanosystems for cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy will be summarized. We mainly discuss three categories, including acidity-sensitive, redox-responsive, and enzyme-triggered polymeric nanosystems. The important issues regarding clinical translation such as reproducibility, manufacture, and probable toxicity, are also commented.

Engineered bacteria can be leveraged for in situ tumor vaccinations with their tumor-targeting ability and adjuvanticity. Engineering strategies like chemical modification, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering improve their safety and efficacy.

Despite the superior tumor lytic efficacy of oncolytic viruses (OVs), their systemic delivery still faces the challenges of limited circulating periods, poor tumor tropism, and spontaneous antiviral immune responses. Herein, a virus‐concealed tumor‐targeting strategy enabling OVs‘ delivery toward lung metastasis via systemic administration is described. The OVs can actively infect, be internalized, and cloak into tumor cells. Then the tumor cells are subsequently treated with liquid‐nitrogen‐shocking to eliminate the pathogenicity. Such a Trojan Horse‐like vehicle avoids virus neutralization and clearance in the bloodstream and facilitates tumor‐targeted delivery for more than 110‐fold virus enrichment in the tumor metastasis. In addition, this strategy can serve as a tumor vaccine and initiate endogenous adaptive antitumor effects through increasing the memory T cells and modulating the tumor immune microenvironment, including reducing the M2 macrophage, downregulating Treg cells, and priming T cells.