Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive and effective local treatment for cancers that produces selective damage to target tissues and cells. However, PDT alone is unlikely to completely inhibit tumor metastasis and/or local tumor recurrence. RNA interference (RNAi) is a phenomenon of gene silencing mediated by exogenous or endogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). RNAi has entered a golden period of development, with the approval of four treatments employing RNAi. PDT in combination with RNAi therapy to inhibit related targets has been a research hotspot, with better clinical outcomes than monotherapy. In this review, the progress of PDT and small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting different genes is discussed, while the achievements of the combined immunotherapy are reviewed.
Keywords: PD-L1; PDT; RNA interference; immunotherapy; photodynamic materials; siRNA.