Two-Dimensional (2D)-Based Hybrid Composites for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy

Cancer is the deadliest disease that has affected human health all over the world. Despite the much research that has been done in this field so far, there is an urgent need for improved techniques for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In recent years, innovative nanomaterial-assisted therapies and diagnostics have led to significant enhancements in cancer treatment. In this context, two-dimensional nanomaterials (2DNMs) and their nanocomposites have been explored for cancer diagnostics and therapy due to their unique shape, size, chemical composition, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. The studies indicate that 2DNMs have significant potential in biomedicine, particularly in multimodal imaging, biosensors, drug/gene delivery, and cancer therapy. Due to high specific surface area, 2DNMs can efficiently adsorb molecules via covalent or non-covalent interactions and usage as carriers in controlled release systems in response to external stimuli. In addition, unique sheet-like nanostructures and photothermal converting ability led to 2DNMs being promising candidates for optical therapies such as photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and theranostic. Furthermore, integrating 2DNMs in nanocomposites with further functional moieties become a new class of therapeutic agents in biomedicine substantially improving their features for synergistic cancer diagnosis and therapy. This chapter highlights the current state and benefits of using 2DNMs in cancer diagnosis and therapy and discusses the obstacles and prospects of their future development. Then we focus on 2DNMs applications in cancer treatment including smart drug delivery systems, PTT, and PDT. Lastly, the 2DNMs biocompatibility is also discussed to provide a unique overview of the topic.