Nanomaterials in Photodynamic Therapy Combinations

Abstract

Combining more than one drug or agent in a therapeutic approach that utilizes one or more methods has grown into a body of technologies loosely referred to as combination therapies, quite prevalent in oncology and antibacterial clinical regimens. Nanotechnology plays an important role in combination therapies where drugs and other related therapeutic agents are incorporated to form nanoconjugates suitable for formulation and administration. Rather than the drugs and related therapeutic agents, it is the nanoconjugates that determine pharmacokinetics, disease cell delivery, selectivity, uptake, retention and sometimes even clearance after the desired therapeutic action. Nanoparticles can act as therapeutic agents and induce the innate immune system. They can be engineered to mimic the general microenvironment of the host so that their systemic navigation before they reach and are taken up by the target disease cells is fairly benign. They can also be engineered to release their toxic cargo when they reach the target disease cells or when triggered by a variety of external stimuli. This book aims to bring together diverse kinds of technologies that make use of nanomaterials and combine photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, cold atmospheric pressure plasma, magnetic hyperthermia therapy and chemotherapy for further investigations and development towards clinical practice. It also aims to stimulate the development of innovative new devices that will support the research and clinical applications of combination therapies. While antibiotics still represent a powerful antimicrobial clinical tool, the looming threat of the development of resistance has severe implications on world health systems.