Nano-Carriers of Combination Tumor Physical Stimuli-Responsive Therapies

Abstract

With the development of nanotechnology, Tumor Physical Stimuli-Responsive Therapies (TPSRTs) have reached a new stage because of the remarkable characteristics of nanocarriers. The nanocarriers enable such therapies to overcome the drawbacks of traditional therapies, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. To further explore the possibility of the nanocarrier-assisted TPSRTs, scientists have combined different TPSRTs <i>via</i> the platform of nanocarriers into combination TPSRTs, which include Photothermal Therapy (PTT) with Magnetic Hyperthermia Therapy (MHT), PTT with Sonodynamic Therapy (SDT), MHT with Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), and PDT with PTT. To achieve such therapies, it requires to fully utilize the versatile functions of a specific nanocarrier, which depend on a pellucid understanding of the traits of those nanocarriers. This review covers the principles of different TPSRTs and their combinations, summarizes various types of combination TPSRTs nanocarriers and their therapeutic effects on tumors, and discusses the current disadvantages and future developments of these nanocarriers in the application of combination TPSRTs.