Phase-Change Nanotherapeutic Agents Based on Mesoporous Carbon for Multimodal Imaging and Tumor Therapy

A multifunctional nanotherapeutic agent based on mesoporous carbon is reported for multimodal imaging and cancer therapy. The nanoplatform consists of oxidized mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (OMCNs) as a near-infrared (NIR) photoresponse carrier and perfluoropentane (PFP) as a phase-change agent. OMCNs can absorb the NIR excitation light and convert it into heat, which not only triggers the thermal ablation of cancer cells but also promotes liquid-gas phase change for gasification of PFP to enhance the in site tumor ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging signals. This nanoplatform demonstrates good biocompatibility, attractive ability to US/PA imaging, and excellent photothermal therapy efficiency.