From external to internal Light: Designs, Mechanisms, applications and Prospects of wireless photodynamic therapy in cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizes light-activated photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumors and is clinically applied across diverse cancers. Nevertheless, traditional wired-PDT is limited by restricted optical penetration, spatially heterogeneous intratumoral illumination, and the procedural burden of invasive fiber delivery. Wireless PDT addresses these issues by producing photons in situ with implantable opto-electronic devices, light-converting nanomaterials and self-luminescent nanoparticles, thereby activating photosensitizers from inside the body. This mode of wireless PDT improves depth reach and spatial uniformity while omitting fiber-based access, and it permits a more feasible way for metronomic PDT that sustains intratumoral oxygenation and ROS production while minimizing thermal damage and hypoxia-driven immunosuppression. Building on these advances, we elaborate the idea of wireless PDT and outline a novel contour for the future of photodynamic therapy in cancer treatment.