Functional Modifications of Graphene Oxide: A Practical and Reliable Choice for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy in...

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a minimally invasive strategy for cancer treatment because of its spatial selectivity and relatively low systemic toxicity. However, its clinical efficacy is limited by poor solubility and nonspecific distribution of photosensitizers (PSs), rapid degradation, and tumor hypoxia. Recently, graphene oxide (GO) and its derivatives have gained considerable attention as multifunctional nanocarriers capable of overcoming these limitations. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using recent studies focused on GO based nanoplatforms for PDT applications in cancer therapy. Relevant articles were analyzed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of GO, photosensitizer loading mechanisms, surface functionalization approaches, and therapeutic performance in different therapeutic strategies. Results: The reviewed studies demonstrated that GO possesses unique physicochemical characteristics enabling efficient loading of PS molecules through π-π interactions and other surface modification strategies. Functionalization approaches, including polymer coating, targeting ligands, metal nanoparticle incorporation, and stimuli responsive systems, improved PS stability, tumor targeting, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, GO based systems showed promising performance in combined photodynamic and photothermal therapy (PDT/PTT), resulting in synergistic anticancer effects and improved therapeutic efficacy. Conclusion: Overall, GO based nanoplatforms represent a promising strategy for improving the therapeutic efficiency, targeting capability, and multifunctionality of PDT based cancer treatments. Nevertheless, further investigations regarding long term biosafety and clinical translation are still required.