Yuhao Wei,1 Renwei Li,1 Yusha Wang,1,2 Jiali Fu,3 Jifeng Liu,4,5 Xuelei Ma1 

1Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, People’s Republic of China; 2Lung Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery/Deep Underground Space Medical Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 5State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Construction and Healthy Operation and Maintenance of Deep Underground Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Xuelei Ma; Jifeng Liu, Email drmaxuelei@gmail.com; liujifeng777@wchscu.cn

Abstract: Immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment because of its ability to sustainably enhance the natural immune response. However, the effects of multiple immunotherapies, including ICIs, are limited by resistance to these agents, immune-related adverse events, and a lack of reasonable therapeutic targets available at the right time and place. The tumor microenvironment (TME), which features tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), plays a significant role in resistance owing to its hypoxic microenvironment and lack of blood vessels, resulting in cancer immune evasion. To enhance immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT) can increase innate and adaptive immune responses through immunogenic cell death (ICD) and improve the TME. Traditional photosensitizers (PSs) also include novel nanomedicines to precisely target tumor cells or TAMs. Here, we reviewed and summarized current strategies and possible influencing factors for nanomedicines for cancer photoimmunotherapy.

Keywords: cancer, tumor-associated macrophages, photodynamic therapy, nanomedicines, immunotherapy