Overcoming the blood–brain barrier challenge: nanotechnology-enhanced photodynamic therapy for glioblastoma treatment

Glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive malignant tumors of the central nervous system, exhibits high recurrence rates and multiple pathological mechanisms, leading to an extremely poor prognosis for patients. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a significant research focus in solid tumor therapy due to its high efficacy and safety, inducing tumor cell-specific damage through a series of reactions mediated by photosensitizers. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) impedes drug delivery, and enhancing the penetration of photosensitizers across the BBB and targeting the lesion has become a critical challenge in the application of PDT for GBM. In this review, we systematically examine recent clinical treatment modalities for GBM, summarize the latest advances in nanotechnology-based novel photosensitizers for GBM treatment, and discuss the drug delivery strategies utilized in PDT.