Tumor microenvironment modulation innovates combinative cancer therapy via a versatile graphene oxide nanosystem

Abstract

The tumor microenvironment (TME) emerges as a unique challenge to oncotherapy due to its intricate ecosystem containing diverse cell types, extracellular matrix, secreted factors, and neovascularization, which furnish tumor growth, progression, invasion, and metastasis. Graphene oxide (GO)-based materials have garnered increasing attention in cancer therapy owing to their vast specific surface area, flexible lamellar structure, and electronic–photonic properties. Recently, interactions of GO with the TME have been broadly investigated, including trapping biomolecules, catalysis, cancer stem cell targeting, immunoreactions, etc., which inspires combinative therapeutic strategies to overcome TME obstacles. Herein, we summarize TME features, GO modulating various dimensions of the TME, and a TME-triggerable drug delivery system and highlight innovation and merits in combinative cancer therapy based on TME modulation. This review aims to offer researchers deeper insights into the interactions between versatile GO nanomaterials and the TME, facilitating the development of rational and reliable GO-based nanomedicines for advanced oncotherapy.