review · Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
Photodynamic therapy offers a non-invasive treatment for various malignancies and non-oncological conditions by using light-activated photosensitisers to generate cytotoxic species that destroy abnormal cells while protecting healthy tissue. However, standard forms of this therapy encounter obstacles, including poor delivery of photosensitisers, inadequate tissue penetration, and adverse effects. Nanotechnology introduces engineered nanocarriers designed to address these restrictions by enhancing target specificity, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics. Furthermore, multifunctional nanoformulations enable the combination of photodynamic therapy with other modalities, such as chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. Recent clinical trials demonstrate encouraging results across different forms of cancer, suggesting that advanced nano-enabled approaches could influence future standard cancer treatment protocols despite ongoing technical challenges.
Cancer therapies often harm healthy tissue alongside tumours. Photodynamic therapy provides a precise alternative by targeting diseased cells with light-activated compounds. Overcoming delivery and penetration issues through nanotechnology could lead to more effective, less invasive interventions, potentially improving survival and quality of life for patients undergoing treatment for diverse malignancies.
This work highlights opportunities for biotechnology and pharmaceutical developers producing nanocarriers and multimodal oncology therapies. Target users include oncologists and hospital treatment centres requiring precision cancer interventions. Given that the underlying technologies range from engineered nanoformulations to ongoing clinical trials, the field spans applied preclinical research to emerging clinical translation, though further optimisation is required before these approaches can modify standard clinical care protocols.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a sophisticated, non-invasive therapeutic approach for treating various malignancies and non-oncological conditions. This review examines the fundamental principles and recent advances in PDT oncological applications. PDT's mechanism relies on the selective accumulation of photosensitizers (Ps) in pathological tissues followed by localized activation via specific wavelengths of light, generating cytotoxic species that induce tumor cell death while sparing adjacent healthy tissues. Despite its proven efficacy, conventional PDT faces limitations, including suboptimal Ps delivery, insufficient tissue penetration, and potential side effects. Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology have created unprecedented opportunities to overcome these challenges through engineered nanocarriers that improve photosensitizer pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and target specificity. This review explores multifunctional nanoformulations combining PDT with complementary therapeutic modalities such as photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. The review also addresses emerging trends in clinical translation, highlighting recent trials that demonstrate promising outcomes across multiple cancer types. We conclude by identifying remaining challenges and future directions for optimizing enhanced PDT as a precision anticancer strategy with the potential to impact standard treatment protocols for various malignancies significantly.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1007/s43630-025-00765-0
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
