Subcellular organelle targeted tumor phototherapy

Phototherapy has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, attributed to its advantages of being minimally invasive, low toxicity, high efficiency, and controllability. Subcellular organelle-targeted phototherapy plays a crucial role in phototherapy by ensuring precise targeted drug delivery, reducing medication dosage, and improving therapeutic efficiency. This review focuses on recent advancements in subcellular organelle-targeted tumor phototherapy. Firstly, it introduces the structure and function of various subcellular organelles, including mitochondria, lysosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus, Golgi apparatus, and cell membrane. Then, the advances of photosensitizers/photothermal agents with subcellular organelle-targeting properties for tumor phototherapeutics are presented based on organic small molecules, metal complexes, and other nanomaterials. Specifically, these materials developed on the particular features of subcellular organelles and related mechanisms to eradicate malignancies are discussed. Lastly, the challenges of subcellular organelle-targeted phototherapy for cancer are summarized.