Nanomaterial‐Enabled Photothermal Heating and Its Use for Cancer Therapy via Localized Hyperthermia

Abstract

Photothermal therapy (PTT), which employs nanoscale transducers delivered into a tumor to locally generate heat upon irradiation with near‐infrared light, shows great potential in killing cancer cells through hyperthermia. The efficacy of such a treatment is determined by a number of factors, including the amount, distribution, and dissipation of the generated heat, as well as the type of cancer cell involved. The amount of heat generated is largely controlled by the number of transducers accumulated inside the tumor, the absorption coefficient and photothermal conversion efficiency of the transducer, and the irradiance of the light. The efficacy of treatment depends on the distribution of the transducers in the tumor and the penetration depth of the light. The vascularity and tissue thermal conduction both affect the dissipation of heat and thereby the distribution of temperature. The successful implementation of PTT in the clinic setting critically depends on techniques for real‐time monitoring and management of temperature.

Combined positron emission tomography‐guided modified black phosphorus nanosheet‐based photothermal therapy and anti programmed cell death protein ligand 1 therapy

“…Recent studies have emphasized the crucial role of PTT in inducing tumor cell death, releasing tumor antigens, and reprogramming tumor immunogenicity, as evidenced by the increased infiltration of T cells in tumor cells and PD-L1 expression on tumor cell surfaces [18,19]. Owing to its high selectivity, low invasiveness, and negligible systemic side effects, PTT has emerged as a promising immune modulating strategy to improve the efficacy of ICB therapy [20][21][22][23][24]. Typically, to effectively treat tumors with PTT, temperatures above 50°C are needed, which can be harmful to normal tissues.…”