Tumor self-responsive upconversion nanomedicines for theranostic applications

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Oncology

Background:

• Malignant tumors are a leading cause of death globally.
• Rare-earth upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) offer potential for integrated imaging and therapy.
• The tumor microenvironment (TME) has unique characteristics exploitable for targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review TME-responsive upconversion nanomedicines (UCNMs) for enhanced tumor theranostics.
• To highlight the design principles of UCNMs tailored to the TME.
• To discuss the application of UCNMs in multimodal imaging-guided tumor therapy.

Main Methods:

• Summarizing recent advancements in UCNP-based nanotherapeutics.
• Detailing the characteristics of the TME.
• Discussing the utilization of TME-specific properties in UCNM design.

Main Results:

• UCNMs show promise for targeted tumor diagnosis and treatment.
• NIR light-excited optical imaging is a key modality for UCNM theranostics.
• TME-mediated strategies enhance the efficacy of UCNM-based therapies.

Conclusions:

• TME-responsive UCNMs represent a significant advancement in nanomedicine for oncology.
• Designing UCNMs that respond to the TME enables self-enhanced theranostics.
• Further development of UCNMs holds potential for improved cancer treatment outcomes.