Engineering copper-based nanoplatforms in cancer therapy

Copper-based multifunctional nanoplatforms have emerged as promising tools for multimodal cancer therapy. This is because copper nanoparticles not only induce tumor-killing effects such as “cuproptosis” and oxidative stress, and also possess the precise targeting and efficient drug delivery capabilities inherent to nanomedicines. This review systematically analyzes the synthesis and anticancer mechanisms of copper-based nanomaterials, including reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated chemodynamic therapy, photothermal effects, and the novel cell death pathway known as cuproptosis. Special emphasis is placed on the rational design of multifunctional nanoplatforms, which integrate various treatment modalities such as photothermal, sonodynamic, and immunotherapy to enhance tumor killing depth and activate systemic antitumor immunity. These engineered systems enable synergistic activation of multiple programmed cell death pathways and effectively remodel the tumor immune microenvironment. However, several challenges impede clinical translation, including issues related to quality control, synthesis scalability, long-term toxicity, and biocompatibility. Future efforts should focus on developing standardized, scalable synthesis methods, smart nanoplatforms with tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive properties, and comprehensive safety evaluations to facilitate the clinical adoption of copper-based cancer therapies.