Nanoscale Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Biocompatibility, Imaging Applications, and Thermal and Dynamic Therapy of Tumors

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) have attracted increasing attention for biomedical applications due to their large specific surface area, good biocompatibility, adjustable structures, and diverse functions. By choosing appropriate metal ions and ligands, NMOFs can be synthesized and regulated to assist the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, acting as imaging agents, drug carriers, and cancer therapeutic agents. This review summarizes the recent advances of NMOFs in synthesis, biocompatibility, imaging, and applications in cancer therapies. Among these, the term biocompatibility is used to outline their various biological characteristics, and it is mainly discussed from the aspects of size and surface properties of NMOFs. The imaging section mainly emphasizes the application advantages of NMOFs as imaging agents in magnetic resonance, computed tomography, and fluorescence imaging. The applications of NMOFs in four cancer therapies, including phototherapy, radiotherapy, microwave therapy, and ultrasonic therapy, are addressed, especially for thermal and dynamic therapy. Finally, the prospects and challenges of NMOFs in imaging and cancer therapies are also discussed.