The Applications of Nanomaterials in Phototherapy Against Cancer

Since nowadays cancers have caused a high death rate among human, it is quite important to find some new therapies against cancer. Phototherapy is a promising therapy against the cancer due to its better effect than other traditional methods, but still needs some improvements. With the combinations of the nanomaterials, some of the disadvantages of phototherapy have been solved, because of the properties of nanomaterials such as low toxicity, good biocompatibility, high selectivity and so on. However, some shortcomings still exist. This paper will be first divided into two parts to introduce the applications of nanomaterials in photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) and their current problems and solutions, respectively. Then the effects brought by the cooperation of PTT and PDT are mentioned. The final part is about the directions of future developments of them. With the development of the nanotechnology, the nanomaterials can overcome more and more weaknesses in the phototherapy and get better effects.