Phototherapy Strategies for Cancer Treatment: Mechanisms and Emerging Nanomaterials

Abstract

Phototherapy has become a significant research direction in tumor therapy owing to its high spatial selectivity, low systemic toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility. In recent years, diverse strategies including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), photoimmunotherapy (PIT), and photogas therapy (PGT) have been extensively developed, accompanied by remarkable advances in the structural design and energy conversion mechanisms of photosensitive materials. However, current phototherapy research still lacks a material‐design‐guided photoresponsive conversion framework and development trends across different therapeutic modalities remain insufficiently understood, which limits the rational design and multimechanism collaborative optimization of photosensitizers. Herein, this review systematically summarizes the latest research progress and material evolution trends in phototherapy. The discussion focuses on structural principles governing light‐to‐heat conversion in PTT, reactive oxygen species generation in PDT, immune activation in PIT, and light‐triggered gas release in PGT. Current limitations such as insufficient light penetration, potential toxicity, poor clearance and translational challenges are further discussed. This review aims to provide design guidance for developing efficient, controllable, and clinically translatable photoresponsive materials for cancer phototherapy.