Plasmonic nanomaterials, especially those that can convert near-infrared (NIR) light into heat, have been developed as photothermal agents for localized hyperthermia cancer therapy. The synergistic effects of thermo-chemotherapy have shown promise, but co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents with the hyperthermia sources is difficult.

Fangqiong Tang and co-workers, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, have developed gold nanoshells on silica nanorattles (GSNs) to give a structure with a movable core and mesoporous shell with the potential to act as an intelligent drug-delivery system.

The GSNs have uniform size, tunable optical property as NIR-light-absorbing agents, and high-payload sustained drug release as a drug-delivery system. In vitro and in vivo studies showed tumor cells were killed with higher efficacy and less toxicity than the free drug when GSNs are used to combine targeted delivery of chemotherapy with photothermal therapy.