Chapter 10: Cancer Therapy with Carbon Dots

Due to the diversity, complexity, and heterogeneity of tumors, effective cancer therapy remains a long-standing challenge. Precise nanomedicine is regarded as a breakthrough in pre-clinical and clinical exploration. Carbon dots (CDs) have aroused extensive interest in various fields, especially in cancer therapy. Their excellent biocompatibility, easy preparation and surface modification, and tunable photochemical and photophysical properties have led to a remarkable application of CDs in nanomedicine. In this chapter, we summarize the progress of research on CDs in cancer therapy, including their use as anticancer drugs and nanocarriers for chemotherapy and phototherapy agents. Furthermore, the advantages, challenges, and prospects they could bring to cancer therapy are also discussed.