Radioluminiscent BODIPY-conjugated nanomaterials: towards the activation of PDT in deep tissue and during radiation therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an anti-cancer treatment based on a photosensitizer (PS) generating cytotoxic singlet oxygen and its derivatives in situ under light irradiation. Common photosensitizers are activated by visible light, which penetrates only weakly in the tissues and, thus, limits the PDT to superficial tumors. An effective, elegant and relatively new way to activate PDT in deep tissue is the conjugation of the PS to a nanoscintillator (NS), which is able to convert X-rays to visible light exciting the PS and inducing PDT during the radiotherapy (RT).