Unimolecular self-assembled hemicyanine-oleic acid conjugate acts to eliminate cancer stem cells: Study

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a rare population of cells in tumor tissues that drive tumorigenesis, recurrence, and metastasis. Therefore, the development of anti-tumor therapies that can eliminate CSCs has significant implications for cancer treatment. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic modality that uses a specific laser wavelength to activate photosensitizers, generating large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to selectively inhibit tumor growth.