Research Progress and Prospect of Single‐Atom Materials in Tumor Catalytic Therapy

Abstract

Tumor catalytic therapy (TCT), an emerging therapeutic modality, exerts specific cytotoxic effects on tumor cells by catalyzing endogenous substances within the tumor microenvironment (TME)—including hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), glucose, and glutathione—to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) or deplete protective biomolecules. This strategy boasts prominent advantages such as high selectivity, minimal side effects, and reduced susceptibility to drug resistance. In recent years, single‐atom materials (SAMs) have emerged as highly promising candidates for TCT, owing to their ultrahigh atomic utilization efficiency, well‐defined active sites, tunable electronic configurations, and superior catalytic activities. This review systematically summarizes the design principles, synthetic methodologies, characterization techniques, and mechanistic insights into the applications of SAMs in TCT. Special emphasis is placed on the performance modulation strategies of SAMs when acting as nanozymes or photoacoustic/magnetic catalysts, along with an in‐depth analysis of their unique merits in boosting TCT efficacy, modulating the tumor immune microenvironment, and enabling multimodal synergistic therapy. Finally, the current challenges in SAM‐based TCT are outlined, and future development directions—encompassing precise synthesis, biosafety enhancement, and clinical translation—are prospected.