title: Photothermal cancer therapy and imaging based on gold nanorods.
abstract: Gold nanorods (GNRs), which strongly absorb near-infrared (NIR) light, have shown great potential in fields of biomedical application. These include photothermal therapy, molecular imaging, biosensing, and gene delivery, especially for the treatment of diseased tissues such as cancer. These biomedical applications of GNRs arise from their various useful properties; photothermal (nanoheater) properties, efficient large scale synthesis, easy functionalization, and colloidal stability. In addition, GNRs do not decompose and have an enhanced scattering signal and tunable longitudinal plasmon absorption which allow them to be used as a stable contrast agent. Therefore, GNRs are also promising theranostic agents, combining both tumor diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we discuss the recent progress of in                         vitro and in                         vivo explorations of the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of GNRs as a component of cancer therapy.
authors: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-712, Korea.
authors: Won Il
authors: WI
authors: Choi
authors: Abhishek
authors: A
authors: Sahu
authors: Young Ha
authors: YH
authors: Kim
authors: Giyoong
authors: G
authors: Tae
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006046:Gold / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006046:Gold