Bioinspired theranostic quantum dots: Paving the road to a new paradigm for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.

Despite extensive research, a complete cure remains lacking for most types of cancer. Nanotechnology-based carriers, such as liposomes, nanoparticles (NPs), dendrimers, nanoemulsions, and other nanocarriers, can target cancer cells, but their in vivo fate is unpredictable. Bioinspired quantum dots (BQDs) offer enhanced aqueous solubility, exceptionally low toxicity, biocompatibility, easy biofunctionalization, and selective cancer targeting. Due to their photoluminescence, high longitudinal relaxation value, photothermal effect upon laser irradiation, generation of singlet oxygen, and production of HS for gas therapy, BQDs are excellent cancer theranostic agents. In this review, we highlight the theranostic application of, and existing challenges relating to BQDs.