Ion interference and its combined therapies for cancer treatments

Abstract

Despite continuous advances in oncology, there remains a pressing need for tumour-specific therapies that can adapt to the unique tumour microenvironment while maintaining high efficacy and low systemic toxicity. Inspired by the critical role of ionic homeostasis in cancer cell survival, ion interference therapy has emerged as a strategy that exploits intracellular ions as cytotoxic effectors to selectively disrupt tumour viability. In particular, nano-engineered platforms enable precise manipulation of ion fluxes through ion-releasing nanomaterials, artificial nanochannels, and transporter-modulating systems, and can be readily integrated with conventional therapeutic modalities. By responding to specific tumour microenvironment and metabolic imbalances, nano-enabled ion interference offers spatially confined and stimulus-responsive cytotoxicity, providing a promising framework for precision nanomedicine.