Diketopyrrolopyrrole: An emerging phototherapy agent in fighting cancer

Abstract Cancer has been one of the major threats to human being for centuries. Over the last decades, phototherapy has been demonstrated as a non-invasive, controllable and targeted strategy to eliminate cancer cells. The effective and innovative therapeutic methods including photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT) and their combinations have attracted more and more attention due to their distinct advantages and superb therapeutic effects. In this regard, diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivatives have emerged as a new generation of photosensitizers and photothermal agents with easy functionalization, tunable photophysical properties, high fluorescence quantum yields, excellent thermo-stability and photostability. This review provides an overview of recent progress of DPP-based photosensitizers for PDT and PTT in advanced therapeutic applications. Finally, the perspectives and challenges of PTT and PDT for combating cancer are discussed. We hope this feature article will provide a valuable guidance to establish promising cancer therapeutic platforms in the future clinical settings.