Photodynamic immunotherapy of cancers based on nanotechnology: recent advances and future challenges
Zhaoyuan Liu, Zhongjian Xie, Wenting Li, Xinqiang Wu, Xiaofeng Jiang, Guanhua Li, Liangqi Cao, Dawei Zhang, Qiwen Wang, Ping Xue, Han Zhang
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive or minimally-invasive treatment which applies photosensitizers (PSs) to create reactive oxygen species (ROS) exposed to light trigger to destroy cancer cells. PDT can activate host anti-tumor immune responses but not powerful enough to kill metastatic tumors. Because of its carrier advantage, imaging, and therapeutic function together with enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, nano-materials have already been used in photo-immunotherapy. Herein, photodynamic immunotherapy (PDIT) based on nanotechnology seems to be a hopeful new form of cancer therapy. In this article, we firstly summarize the recent development in photodynamic immunotherapy based on nanotechnology.