Imaging Science and Photochemistry ›› 2017, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (4): 364-378.DOI: 10.7517/j.issn.1674-0475.2017.04.003

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Long Wavelength Based Photosensitizers and Carriers for Cancer Photodynamic Therapy

ZHAO Jie, LI Junbai   

  1. Key Lab of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
  • Received:2017-05-28 Revised:2017-06-09 Online:2017-07-15 Published:2017-07-15

Abstract:

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a newly minimally invasive method for the treatment of certain malignant tumors, and has achieved considerable efforts in clinical application. However, this method is limited by the attenuation of visible light by blood and soft tissues, and could be used in the cure of superficial tumors only. Nowadays, long wavelength light, especially near infrared red (NIR) light, which can penetrate a few centimeters into biological tissues, has been introduced and has gained plentiful and substantial achievements in the cure of solid cancers. In this review, we will focus on the recent advances made in the development of self-assembly systems for cancer PDT. Moreover, the perspectives of long wavelength activated PDT will also be discussed in the field of the development of photosensitizers (PSs), the use of two-photon excitation and the introduction of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs).

Key words: photosensitizers(PSs), long wavelength excitation, photodynamic therapy, cancer therapy