Metal and Magnetic Nanostructures for Cancer Detection, Imaging, and Therapy

Metal and magnetic nanostructures process novel optical, electronic, thermal, and magnetic properties that are promising for biomedical applications such as drug delivery and cancer detection, imaging and therapy through various mechanisms. Nanomaterials can be tailored in terms of their size, shape, and surface characteristics for specific applications such as photothermal ablation therapy, photodynamic therapy, and magnetically targeted drug delivery. Specific examples are drawn from many recent studies on the development and exploitation of new metal and magnetic nanostructures for cancer treatment. Emphasis is placed on the unique properties of nanomaterials for such applications.