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Updated: Dec 3, 2025
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Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
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Free radicals for cancer theranostics
Xiao-Qiang Wang1, Wenjing Wang2, Mengyun Peng3
1Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education & Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; The State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430081, PR China.
Biomaterials
|October 30, 2020
Summary
Free radicals, once viewed as harmful, can be beneficial and offer unique biomedical advantages. This review highlights their emerging role in cancer theranostics, including therapies and advanced imaging techniques.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Oncology
Background:
- Free radicals are typically considered reactive and harmful species.
- However, some free radicals are stable, long-lived, and possess health benefits.
- Their unique electronic structure offers advantages in biomedical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in free radical applications for cancer theranostics.
- To explore materials enabling controlled free radical generation for therapeutic and diagnostic uses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent progress in free radical research and applications.
- Summarization of materials for controlled free radical generation.
- Discussion of applications in various cancer treatment and imaging modalities.
Main Results:
- Free radicals possess unique properties like high reactivity and photoacoustic/photothermal conversion abilities.
- Materials with controlled free radical generation are key for advanced cancer theranostics.
- Applications span photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), and advanced imaging (PAI, MRI).
Conclusions:
- Free radicals have significant potential beyond their harmful reputation.
- Controlled generation of free radicals is crucial for developing novel cancer theranostic strategies.
- Further research into free radical-based materials will advance cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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