Self-assembled nanomaterials for enhanced phototherapy of cancer

Following nature’s inspiration to assemble functional building blocks into exquisite nanostructures is emerging as a fascinating research field and has been widely applied in biomedical sciences. Owing to their excellent features of structural and functional diversity, high biocompatibility and dynamic adjustability, the self-assembled nanoarchitectures come to play pivotal role in fighting against cancer. This review outlines the most up-to-date developments in constructing phototherapeutic nanomaterials for photodynamic and photothermal therapy of tumor, with emphasis on design ideas, building blocks, and advantageous characteristics of self-assembly. The prominent antitumor activities achieved by these phototherapeutic nanomaterials are also discussed in-depth, along with the connections between the specific nanostructures and their unique properties, providing a comprehensive understanding of the self-assembled nanomaterials in improving the outcomes of photodynamic and photothermal therapy. The goal ...