Construction of deep tumor-penetrating nanomotors based on motion-driven effect and advances in therapeutic applications

Traditional nanocarrier delivery systems are significantly limited in their application for tumor therapy due to their inability to penetrate deeply into tumor tissues and achieve effective therapeutic drug concentrations. Nanomotors, which can convert external energy or intrinsic chemical energy into mechanical motion, enabling active targeting and autonomous movement, have emerged as a class of nanocarriers capable of effectively overcoming the inherent limitations of passive nanocarrier systems. Consequently, they have gained extensive research interest in the field of tumor therapy in recent years. This review systematically summarizes the propulsion mechanisms and design strategies of nanomotors, compares their in vitro and in vivo locomotion performances, and deeply elaborates their tumor penetration capability, biosafety and clinical translation prospects, aiming to provide theoretical references for the rational design and clinical translation of nanomotor theranostic platforms.