Porphyrin-based photosensitizers and the corresponding multifunctional nanoplatforms for cancer-imaging and phototherapy

This review article briefly describes: (a) the advantages in developing multifunctional nanoparticles for cancer-imaging and therapy, (b) the advantages and limitations of most of the porphyrin-based compounds in fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT), (c) problems associated with current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved photosensitizers, (d) challenges in developing in vivo target-specific PDT agents, (e) development of porphyrin-based nuclear-imaging agents (PET, SPECT) with an option of PDT, (f) the importance of light dosimetry in PDT, (g) the role of whole body or local hyperthermia in enhancing tumor-uptake, tumor-imaging and phototherapy and finally, (h) the advantages of photosensitizer-gold nanocages (Ps-Au NC) in photoacoustic and PDT.