Progress and promise of photoresponsive nanocarriers for precision drug delivery in cancer

Controlled drug delivery has profoundly impacted medicine by facilitating precise pharmacotherapy at targeted sites while mitigating adverse effects. Photoresponsive nanocarriers possessing light-mediated conformational changes enable on-demand cargo release with exquisite spatiotemporal precision. This approach enhances delivery efficacy, curtails toxicity, and bolsters patient outcomes. In this paper, we review the physicochemical attributes and applications of organic polymer-based nanoparticles, inorganic nanosystems, photosensitizing agents, and their composite nanomaterials for light-triggered drug delivery, with an emphasis on cancer therapeutics. Current preclinical advances, prospects, limitations, and the tremendous potential of photoresponsive nanomedicines aimed at malignant tumors are discussed through a critical appraisal of contemporary literature. In a nutshell, this review sheds light on an escalating technology poised to illuminate the future of precision drug delivery via localized, controlled release to cancerous tissue.