Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy of Combined Photothermal Therapy and Doxorubicin Chemotherapy in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: An Innovative Treatment Approach

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with limited effective clinical therapies. Photothermal therapy (PTT) and doxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy have shown potential against ATC, yet their clinical application is hindered by limited tissue penetration and systemic toxicity, respectively. In this study, we developed an innovative combinatorial strategy integrating PTT with DOX chemotherapy. In vitro, this combined treatment markedly enhanced DOX uptake by ATC cells, inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and effectively induced apoptosis. Additionally, it elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, exacerbated DNA damage, and downregulated the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins. In vivo, the therapy significantly suppressed tumor growth, promoted the release of immunogenic cell death-associated signaling molecules, and reduced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9. Importantly, the treatment exhibited favorable biocompatibility and mitigated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Collectively, this PTT-chemotherapy combination enhances antitumor efficacy through multiple mechanisms while reducing systemic toxicity, representing a promising strategy with translational potential for ATC treatment.