Near-Infrared Afterglow Imaging-Guided Surgical Resection and Synergistic Photodynamic-Chemo Therapy of Breast Cancer.

The recurrence rate of cancer following surgical procedures is markedly affected by the degree of tumor removal. During the operation, tumor-targeted imaging is of crucial significance as it assists surgeons in attaining the most comprehensive tumor excision. Herein, a theranostic platform (CDSP NPs) is developed through the assembly of carbon dots (CDs) with paclitaxel prodrugs. CDSP NPs can be utilized for near-infrared (NIR) afterglow imaging-guided precise removal of breast cancer, featuring a long lifetime (>2 h), deep tissue penetration (>13 mm), and a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, 103.9), thereby effectively preventing cancer recurrence. Additionally, the combined treatment of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy substantially enhances tumor regression, demonstrating the tremendous potential of CDSP NPs for synergistic cancer treatment. This study proposes a straightforward but efficient model to build a nanoplatform integrating diagnosis and treatment, which is utilized for image-guided surgical navigation and effective tumor treatment.