Development of gold nanorods for cancer treatment

There has been growing interest in the application of gold nanorods (GNRs) to tumor therapy due to the unique properties they possess. In the past, GNRs were not used in clinical treatments as they lacked stability in vivo and were characterized by potential toxicity. Despite these issues, the significant potential for utilizing GNRs to conduct safe and effective treatments for tumors cannot be ignored. Therefore, it remains crucial to thoroughly investigate the mechanisms behind the toxicity of GNRs in order to provide the means of overcoming obstacles to its full application in the future. This review presents the toxic effects of GNRs, the factors affecting toxicity and the methods to improve biocompatibility, all of which are presently being studied. Finally, we conclude by briefly discussing the current research status of GNRs and provide additional perspective on the challenges involved along with the course of development for GNRs in the future.

Automated summary

Gold nanorods (GNRs) have attracted increasing attention for tumor therapy due to their unique properties, although issues such as stability and toxicity have hindered their clinical application. Research is ongoing to investigate the toxic effects of GNRs, factors influencing toxicity, and methods to enhance biocompatibility for future development and safe utilization in tumor treatments.