First Demonstration of Gold Nanorods-Mediated Photodynamic Therapeutic Destruction of Tumors via Near Infra-Red Light Activation

Previously, a large volume of papers reports that gold nanorods (Au NRs) are able to effectively kill cancer cells upon high laser doses (usually 808 nm, 1–48 W/cm2) irradiation, leading to hyperthermia‐induced destruction of cancer cells, i.e, photothermal therapy (PTT) effects. Combination of Au NRs‐mediated PTT and organic photosensitizers‐mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) were also reported to achieve synergistic PTT and PDT effects on killing cancer cells. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that Au NRs alone can sensitize formation of singlet oxygen (1O2) and exert dramatic PDT effects on complete destrcution of tumors in mice under very low LED/laser doses of single photon NIR (915 nm,