Carbon dots as a promising therapeutic approach for combating cancer

Illustration of multifunctional CDs for tumor theranostics. [Display omitted] With advances in nanotechnology and the development of emerging therapeutic modalities, a surge in research on the use of nanomedicines for biomedical applications has occurred over the past three decades. Carbon dots (CDs) are new members of carbon-based nanomaterials that can be used in cancer treatment to reduce side effects of drugs and improve treatment efficiency, offering new medical opportunities for further research. Urged as such, we are encouraged to classify CDs-based cancer treatments, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), chemotherapy (CT), and synergistic therapy. The advantages of these approaches are summarized, as well as ways to improve certain shortcomings. Meanwhile, this review highlights the feasible practice of CDs in cancer treatment, which is further developed and widely used in the biomedical field.