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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Plasmonic Photothermal Cancer Therapy: Nanoparticle-embedded Tumor-tissue-mimicking Phantoms for Visualizing Photothermal Temperature Distribution
Published on: May 9, 2025
Nanomaterial Applications in Photothermal Therapy for Cancer
Austin C V Doughty1, Ashley R Hoover2, Elivia Layton3
1Biophotonics Research Laboratory, Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Education and Research, College of Mathematics and Science, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OH 73034, USA. adoughty1@uco.edu.
Abstract:
As a result of their unique compositions and properties, nanomaterials have recently seen a tremendous increase in use for novel cancer therapies. By taking advantage of the optical absorption of near-infrared light, researchers have utilized nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, and graphene oxide sheets to enhance photothermal therapies and target the effect on the tumor tissue. However, new uses for nanomaterials in targeted cancer therapy are coming to light, and the efficacy of photothermal therapy has increased dramatically. In this work, we review some of the current applications of nanomaterials to enhance photothermal therapy, specifically as photothermal absorbers, drug delivery vehicles, photoimmunological agents, and theranostic tools.
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