The lack of sensitive detection techniques and agents for early-stage tumors, which are characterized by small size, juvenile blood vessels and scarce secreted markers, has hampered timely cancer therapy and human well-being. Herein, the natural product pyropheophorbide-a (PPa) and FDA-approved Pluronic F127 are organized to develop F127–PPa nanomicelles with favorable size, red-shifted fluorescence and decent biocompatibility. After intravenous (i.v.) injection, the F127–PPa nanomicelles could not only accurately identify early-stage xenografted tumors, but also sensitively detect cancer metastasis in lungs through near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging. The fluorescence signals are consistent with radionuclide imaging, photoacoustic (PA) imaging and bioluminescence imaging of tumors, consolidating the reliability of using F127–PPa nanomicelles for sensitive cancer diagnosis in a non-invasive and low-cost manner. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of small tumors is linearly correlated with the tumoral mass ranging from 10 to 120 mg with a fluorescence coefficient of 4.5 × 10⁷ mg⁻¹. Under the guidance of multimodal imaging, the tumors could be thoroughly eradicated by F127–PPa under laser irradiation due to efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. These findings may provide clinically translatable agents and strategies for sensitive diagnosis of early-stage tumors and timely cancer therapy.

中文翻译：

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用于早期癌症的灵敏检测和光动力治疗的生物相容性纳米胶束

早期肿瘤的特点是体积小、血管幼稚和分泌标记物稀少，缺乏灵敏的检测技术和试剂，阻碍了及时的癌症治疗和人类福祉。在这里，天然产物焦脱镁叶绿素-a (PPa) 和 FDA 批准的 Pluronic F127 被组织起来开发具有良好尺寸、红移荧光和良好生物相容性的 F127-PPa 纳米胶束。静脉注射 (iv) 后，F127-PPa 纳米胶束不仅可以准确识别早期异种移植肿瘤，还可以通过近红外 (NIR) 荧光成像灵敏检测肺部癌症转移。荧光信号与肿瘤的放射性核素成像、光声（PA）成像和生物发光成像一致，巩固使用 F127-PPa 纳米胶束以非侵入性和低成本方式进行敏感癌症诊断的可靠性。此外，小肿瘤的荧光强度与肿瘤质量呈线性相关，范围为 10 至 120 mg，荧光系数为 4.5 × 10⁷毫克^-1。在多模态成像的指导下，由于有效的活性氧 (ROS) 生成，F127-PPa 在激光照射下可以彻底根除肿瘤。这些发现可能为早期肿瘤的敏感诊断和及时的癌症治疗提供临床可转化的药物和策略。