A senescence-responsive nanodrug amplifies radiotherapy efficacy

Radiotherapy (RT) is a mainstay of cancer treatment but is limited by tumor resistance and off-target tissue damage, often mediated by therapy-induced cellular senescence. Here, we developed a "one-two punch" nanodrug, Lipo@ABT263@Au, that integrated a senolytic agent (ABT-263) with a gold-shelled liposome for radiosensitization and sustained drug release. High-throughput screening and transcriptomic analysis identified senescence as a key RT-induced vulnerability. In vitro, Lipo@ABT263@Au eliminated senescent tumor cells, enhanced RT-induced apoptosis, and suppressed the pro-tumorigenic effects of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). In vivo, the nanodrug accumulated efficiently at tumor sites, significantly inhibited tumor growth, and mitigated RT-induced skin fibrosis by targeting senescent fibroblasts, without systemic toxicity. These findings highlight Lipo@ABT263@Au as a clinically relevant platform for advancing cancer radiotherapy.