Metal-based nanomaterials show promise for cancer phototherapy in preclinical models

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Frontiers in Medicine Published June 4, 2026 Medically reviewed June 4, 2026 DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Interpret with caution: metal-based nanomaterials for cancer phototherapy are still preclinical and not ready for clinical use.

This narrative review summarizes the current state of research on metal-based nanomaterials for cancer phototherapy, including both precious metals (e.g., gold, silver) and non-precious metals (e.g., iron, copper). The authors discuss how these materials can be engineered to absorb light and generate heat or reactive oxygen species, potentially destroying tumor cells. Preclinical studies have shown promising results in vitro and in animal models, with some materials demonstrating enhanced tumor targeting and therapeutic efficacy.

However, the review is limited by its narrative nature and lack of systematic methodology. No pooled effect sizes or quantitative comparisons are provided. The authors do not report on specific clinical outcomes, patient populations, or safety data, as most studies remain preclinical. Key gaps include the need for standardized characterization, biocompatibility assessments, and in vivo validation.

For clinicians, this review highlights an emerging area of nanomedicine that may eventually offer new treatment options, but current evidence is insufficient to guide clinical practice. Further research is needed to translate these findings into safe and effective therapies for cancer patients.

Study Details

Study typeSystematic review

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedJun 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Cancer remains a leading global health challenge, with limitations in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy driving interest in alternative modalities. Phototherapy, comprising photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy, has shown promising antitumor efficacy, yet conventional photosensitizers and photothermal agents often suffer from poor stability, limited tissue specificity, and suboptimal in vivo performance. Metal-based nanomaterials effectively address the above limitations and bottlenecks by providing tunable optical properties, catalytic activity for reactive oxygen species generation, and multifunctional platforms for imaging and combination therapies. In this review, we systematically discuss recent advances in precious metal and non-precious metal nanomaterials for cancer phototherapy, elucidating their diverse mechanisms of action and anticancer efficacy, and highlighting the pivotal role of materials design in performance optimization. We further summarize strategies to design and improve these nanomaterials, with an emphasis on enhancing biocompatibility, tumor targeting, and photothermal conversion efficiency, all of which are critical for clinical translation. We also highlight synergistic therapeutic paradigms that combine metal-based phototherapy with other anticancer modalities, providing representative examples of how such combinations can improve treatment outcomes. Finally, we discuss future directions, particularly the development toward intelligent, multifunctional, and low-toxicity metal-based nanoplatforms through stimulus-responsive designs, functional integration, green synthesis, and artificial intelligence-assisted approaches. Overall, this review aims to provide a solid theoretical and technical reference to accelerate the clinical application of metal-based nanomaterials in cancer phototherapy.