Themed collection World Cancer Day 2025: Showcasing cancer research across the RSC

Hypoxia limits the phototherapeutic efficacy of porphyrin-based nMOFs; loading with hypoxia-activated drug TPZ enhances combined PDT and chemotherapy effects.

Combining photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT) into one single compound allows to achieve more efficient light-induced therapy.

This review summarized the application of the second near-infrared nano-platform in the field of nano-agents design, optical imaging and cancer treatment, aiming at providing profound insights into its development status and future challenges.

Prodrugs, activated at the tumor site, offer targeted treatment but may still cause unintended cytotoxicity. This review explores the combination of bioorthogonal reactions with prodrug strategies to improve safety and efficacy.

This comprehensive review systematically summarizes the intrinsic mechanism of different metal ion (such as Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺/Cu⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Na⁺/K⁺, and Mg²⁺)-mediated interference therapies and their research progress in cancer treatment.

Schematic diagram of the application of smart delivery vehicles in cancer treatment.

In this review, we have summarized the common self-assembled mechanism of NSMs-based SANDDSs. Meanwhile, the potential applications for cancer treatment and future development prospects are also prospected.

Plant-derived exosomes (PDEs) show promising potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent against cancer, owing to their multiple advantages such as low toxicity, biocompatibility, availability, affordability, etc.

This review summarizes composition and preparation methodologies of injectable hydrogels and highlights the delivery mechanisms of drugs for tumor therapy, along with discussion on the optimal therapeutic efficiency of drugs and provides perspective on challenges and solutions in applications.

Integrating the advances of emerging hyperthermia techniques with 3D tumor models and non-invasive temperature control systems can contribute to identifying top-performing hyperthermic nanomedicines in preclinical evaluation stages.

Accessible microfluidic configurations support CTC isolation (by size, rigidity, antigen expression) and detection in a single platform. Integrated detection can be achieved through optical, electrochemical, and physical means.

An ultra-short peptide-based injectable hydrogel delivers doxorubicin (DOX) in response to the local glutathione (GSH). A single injection reduced the tumor volume by approximately 75% within 18 days without any side effects.

In this study, we reported a flower-like Cu₂O@Ag SERS substrate for distinguish three types of cancer cells from white blood cells by using machine learning-assisted LDA, after separating cancer cells from blood samples via a microfluidic chip.

A COX-2 targeting type I photosensitizer (PS) RuCXB with improved targetability to cancer cells was developed, which showed less O₂-dependence and realized high PDT therapeutic effect via the synergism of ferroptosis and apoptosis.

Herein, a universal nucleic acid analysis platform was constructed to sensitively and accurately detect miRNA-155 and ctDNA using isothermal amplification-assisted CRISPR/Cas12a and DNA tetrahedral nanostructures (TDN) supported sensing interface.

A hybrid cellulose-based programmable nanoplatform for applications in precision radiation oncology is described.

ZnO₂@PDA NPs boost endogenous/exogenous Zn²⁺ and H₂O₂, destroying the metabolism-redox circuit to achieve dual-starvation therapy, oxidative stress, and mild photothermal therapy.

IR783-based nanoassemblies of pol(amino acids) promote antitumor efficacy through enhanced ROS generation and tumor targeting.

Glutathione-responsive proteinaceous microparticles are prepared via a Pickering emulsion template method for effectively loading glucose oxidase for starvation therapy in tumor cells.

A pH-activated AIE molecular probe (N-3QL) was synthesized for the purpose of lysosome fluorescence tracking and PDT ablation of cancer cells.

A hetero-bimetallic Ru(II)–Ir(III) complex Ru-Ir was developed to act as a type-I and type-II dual photosensitizer for effective cancer photodynamic therapy under hypoxia.

A mitochondrial targeting copper dithiocarbamate induces intense immunogenic cuproptosis in cancer cells and macrophage M1 polarization. This emphasizes the potential of mitochondrial targeting cuproptosis inducers in cancer immunotherapy.

We have developed nanoparticle formulations targeting M2 macrophages for cancer immunotherapy by conjugating high-affinity binding peptides to cowpea mosaic virus as an immunostimulatory adjuvant.

NADH-dependent photoactivation of pyridinium-modified zinc porphyrin in cancer cells into zinc phlorin with strong hydride donating capability leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, paving a way for reductive phototherapy beyond ROS under hypoxia.

Ferrocene correlates with ferroptosis: multiple approaches to explore ferrocene-appended GPX4 inhibitors as dual-function ferroptosis inducers, which consummate the potential of ferrocene in ferroptosis-targeted drug development.

In this work, we synthesized a novel luminescent array based on Eu/Tb-MOF, which was applied in the detection of drugs and biomarkers of castration-resistant prostate cancers with remarkable sensitivity and selectivity in human serum solution.

Herceptin-conjugated gold nanocapsules, active in both NIR I and II regions, exhibited excellent photothermal efficiency and cytotoxicity, leading to apoptotic cell death in Her2-positive SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells.

New PEG-coated upconversion nanoparticles conjugated with Flamma® dye demonstrated superior imaging and targeting of pancreatic tumor-bearing mice after intraperitoneal administration.

Fabrication and characterization of nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC)-based gel for localized delivery of albendazole (ABZ) against skin cancer.

An FTIR micro-spectroscopic approach was able to reveal biochemical alterations in protein spectra (amide I and III areas) in oral precancerous tissues for oral cancer screening.

A novel calcium-based nanoinducer that simultaneously induces pyroptosis and remodels tumor-associated-macrophages effectively overcomes the immunosuppression for enhancing systemic antitumor immunity.

Macauba oil-loaded polymeric micelles exhibit antimigratory, antiproliferative, and cytotoxic activities in triple-negative breast cancer cells, suggesting potential as a therapeutic agent for this aggressive cancer type.

This study reports a fluorescent nanoprobe operated in fluorescence turn-on mode for simultaneously sensing and imaging intracellular GSH and ATP.

A theranostic nanosystem integrating imprinting technology into a fluorescent monomer demonstrated selective binding and controlled release of gefitinib in NSCLC.

CRISPR/Cas13a-based rapid amplification-free miRNA detection using a portable dark-field imaging system in 30 min.

Using a new nanocomplex (Lipo@AuNPs@BBR) in photodynamic therapy on A549 spheroid cells.

Graphene oxide and oxidized carbon nanodiscs have been utilized as potential nanocarriers of quercetin. The conjugation of quercetin to these nanomaterials further enhanced the cell cycle arrest effects.

Macrophage membrane-camouflaged nanoclusters of ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles can be developed to cross the blood–brain barrier for magnetic resonance imaging and chemo/chemodynamic therapy.

The overall results presented in this work indicate the potential use of ICG-loaded PEO–PPO PMs as image probe agents to be employed in image-guided surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy and breast cancer diagnostic imaging.

A siRNA delivery system was developed using clinically approved mPEG-b-PLGA, cationic lipid and ionizable lipid for siRNA delivery and cancer immunotherapy.

The SPION@MSN-EPI/pDNA-ZIF-8-PEG-Apt nanocarrier showcases exceptional plasmid stability, drug loading, and controlled release. Its outstanding anti-tumor efficacy through targeted chemo–gene therapy is supported by its imaging traceability.

Intracellular microrheology reveals static viscosity, not elastic modulus, as a potential marker for invasive and metastatic cancer cells.

A schematic illustration of the fabrication of disposable paper-based screen-printed electrochemical immunoplatforms for dual detection of esophageal cancer biomarkers in patient serum samples.

Chol-PEG and Qua-PLL were self-assembled with a Cas9/PLK1 sgRNA ribonucleoprotein to form a ternary nanoparticle QNP/RNP_PLK1 for efficient cancer therapy.

Novel amperometric immunoplatform using magnetic micro-supports and screen-printed carbon electrodes, overcoming limitations of the reported methods, to assess the senescence-associated GDF-15 marker in diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Endogenous O₂ can be continuously generated by the catalysis of Ce in the lattice of CeO₂ to enhance ¹O₂ production via a type II PDT (energy transfer), and many other ROS (such as O₂⁻ and ·OH) can be produced via a type I PDT (electron transfer).

iNKT cells – often referred to as the “Swiss Army knife” of the immune system – have emerged as central players in cancer vaccine therapies.

There is significant value in developing multifunctional drug delivery systems with high therapeutic efficiency for diagnosing and treating tumors.

We introduced a concept of prodrugs activated by H₂O₂ and mitochondrial OH⁻, which is applicable to camptothecin and its derivatives.

A library of new ibuprofen-appended benzoxazole analogues (7a–l) was synthesized and screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines using doxorubicin as a standard reference.