Research progress of graphene-based nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common cancer in the world, and its incidence is increasing year by year. Due to the late-stage diagnosis and poor prognosis of HNC, as well as the limitations of traditional treatment methods, it is urgent to improve early detection rates and explore alternative treatment approaches. Graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) have been widely applied in biomedical fields due to their high surface area, excellent photothermal properties, and high loading capacity. This literature review introduces the functionalization and biocompatibility of GBNs, followed by a focus on their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of HNC. This includes their potential as bioimaging or biosensing platforms for diagnosis and monitoring, as well as their research progress in chemotherapy drug delivery, phototherapy, and gene transfection. The tremendous potential of GBNs as a platform for combination therapies is emphasized. Finally, in this literature review, we briefly discuss the toxicity and limitations of GBNs in the current research and provide an outlook on their future clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of HNC.