Sustainable cancer therapy

Sustainable cancer therapy, achieved through the activation of molecules or nanoparticles that initiate long-term cancer-therapeutic actions, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Numerous pre-clinical and clinical investigations have shown that sustainable cancer treatments can effectively trigger tumor regression. Currently, near-infrared light, X-rays, and ultrasound stimuli are extensively employed to trigger long-term therapeutic effects. In particular, X-rays and ultrasound possess significant potential for deep tumor therapy due to their excellent tissue penetration capabilities, which can boost treatment efficacy. Notably, long-term photonic and ultrasound activation can be synergistically combined with various therapies, such as sonodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and immunotherapy, to further enhance therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, chemodynamic therapy enables synergistic dual activation, including cyclic and switchable reactions, to elicit a sustained therapeutic effect. This review encapsulates recent methodologies and benefits of sustainable cancer treatment, particularly for intractable tumors, and underscores that sustained cancer treatment can incorporate long-term self-powering, autonomous control, and self-replenishing functions. Crucially, the challenges and future outlooks of stimuli-responsive sustainable cancer therapy are examined to foster its advancement and clinical applications.