Nanoparticles as carriers of photosensitizers to improve photodynamic therapy in cancer

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising non invasive therapeutic approach for cancer treatment, offering unique advantages over conventional treatments. The combination of light activation and photosensitizing agents allows for targeted and localized destruction of cancer cells, reducing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. In recent years, the integration of nanoparticles with PDT has garnered significant attention due to their potential to enhance therapeutic outcomes. This review article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in utilizing nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment. We summarized various nanoparticle-based approaches, their properties, and their implications in optimizing PDT efficacy, and discussed challenges and prospects in the field.

Keywords:

• Photodynamic therapy
• photosensitizers
• cancer
• nanoparticles
• nanomedicine
• nanotechnology

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Author contributions

DHT: conceptualization; writing—original draft preparation; PTTT: writing—review and editing; THT: writing—review and editing; supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.