Plasmonic photothermal therapy in the near-IR region using gold nanostars

Abstract

Photothermal therapy using nanoparticles is a prominent technique for cancer treatment. The principle is to maximize the heat conversion efficiency using plasmonic nanoparticle–light interaction. Due to their unique optical characteristics derived from their anisotropic structure, gold nanostars (GNSs) have gotten significant attention in photothermal therapy. To design a proper cancer treatment, it is vital to study the thermal effect induced close to the gold nanoparticles, in the vicinity, and the cancerous tissue. A temperature-dependent 2D model based on finite element method models is commonly used to simulate near-IR tumor ablation. The bioheat equation describes the photothermal effect within the GNSs and the environment. Surface cooling and heating strategies, such as the periodical heating method and a reduced laser irradiation area, were investigated to address surface overheating problems. We also determined that the optimal laser radius depends on tumor aspect ratio and laser intensity. Our results provide guidelines to evaluate a safe and feasible temperature range, treatment time, optimal laser intensity, and laser radius to annihilate a tumor volume.