The applications of two-dimensional materials and the derivative quantum dots in photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), as a slightly innovative therapy, is very popular in the treatment of some diseases, especially tumors. Its basic principle is to expose the lesion site of the body to light at a specific wavelength to activate the photosensitizers that selectively gather at the lesion site, trigger a photochemical reaction, and produce phototoxicity. As photocytotoxicity only occurs in pathological tissues, selective destruction can be made to achieve the targeted therapeutic effect. Therefore, in the course of treatment, the choice of photosensitizer is very important. In recent years, nanotechnology has ushered in rapid development. It has been found that nanomaterials have good biocompatibility and can eliminate some side effects of photosensitizers. Therefore, combining photosensitizers with nanomaterials can effectively improve the efficiency of PDT. In this paper, the most commonly used two-dimensional nanosheets and their derived quantum dots in recent years have been reviewed in terms of their applications in PDT, and the challenges and prospects in the future are also reviewed.