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MXenes are two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides that have become important materials in nanotechnology because of their remarkable mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics. This review emphasizes how crucial MXene conjugates are for several biomedical applications, especially in the field of cancer. These two-dimensional (2D) nanoconjugates with photothermal, chemotherapeutic, and photodynamic activities have demonstrated promise for highly effective and noninvasive anticancer therapy. MXene conjugates, with their distinctive optical capabilities, have been employed for bioimaging and biosensing, and their excellent light-to-heat conversion efficiency makes them perfect biocompatible and notably proficient nanoscale agents for photothermal applications. The synthesis and characterization of MXenes provide a framework for an in-depth understanding of various fabrication techniques and their importance in the customized formation of MXene conjugates. The following sections explore MXene-based conjugates for nanotheranostics and demonstrate their enormous potential for biomedical applications. Nanoconjugates, such as polymers, metals, graphene, hydrogels, biomimetics, quantum dots, and radio conjugates, exhibit unique properties that can be used for various therapeutic and diagnostic applications in the field of cancer nanotheranostics. An additional layer of understanding into the safety concerns of MXene nanoconjugates is provided by detailing their toxicity viewpoints. Furthermore, the review concludes by addressing the opportunities and challenges in the clinical translation of MXene-based nanoconjugates, emphasizing their potential in real-world medical practices. Full article

Metallic-based nanoparticles present a unique set of physicochemical properties that support their application in different fields, such as electronics, medical diagnostics, and therapeutics. Particularly, in cancer therapy, the plasmonic resonance, magnetic behavior, X-ray attenuation, and radical oxygen species generation capacity displayed by metallic nanoparticles make them highly promising theragnostic solutions. Nevertheless, metallic-based nanoparticles are often associated with some toxicological issues, lack of colloidal stability, and establishment of off-target interactions. Therefore, researchers have been exploiting the combination of metallic nanoparticles with other materials, inorganic (e.g., silica) and/or organic (e.g., polymers). In terms of biological performance, metal-polymer conjugation can be advantageous for improving biocompatibility, colloidal stability, and tumor specificity. In this review, the application of metallic-polymer nanoconjugates/nanohybrids as a multifunctional all-in-one solution for cancer therapy will be summarized, focusing on the physicochemical properties that make metallic nanomaterials capable of acting as imaging and/or therapeutic agents. Then, an overview of the main advantages of metal-polymer conjugation as well as the most common structural arrangements will be provided. Moreover, the application of metallic-polymer nanoconjugates/nanohybrids made of gold, iron, copper, and other metals in cancer therapy will be discussed, in addition to an outlook of the current solution in clinical trials. Full article