Recent advances of piezoelectric nanomaterials-mediated tumor therapy under mechanical stimulation

Malignant tumors, with the high incidence and mortality rates, continue to pose significant threat to human health. Conventional treatment modalities are often limited by some side effects, such as high drug resistance, severe systemic toxicity, and non-specific distribution, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies that are both highly effective and minimally toxic. Piezocatalytic medicine hold great promise in deep tumor therapy, because piezoelectric materials have the ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), induce tumor cell apoptosis or necrosis, modulate the immune microenvironment, and enhance drug delivery efficiency under external mechanical stimuli. These unique properties confer significant advantages for treating deep-seated tumors. This review systematically summarizes five representative piezoelectric nanomaterials, e.g., Mg 2+ -doped hydroxyapatite (Mg-HAP), molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ), tin sulfide (SnS), and zinc oxide (ZnO), and focuses on their structural stability, ROS-generating efficiency, drug release behavior, and immune activation mechanisms, highlighting their roles in synergistic anti-tumor therapy. In addition, this review highlights the persistent challenges associated with precise tumor targeting, controlled stimulation responses, and the assurance of long-term biosafety. Finally, future perspectives are offered regarding the development of intelligent-responsive systems, multi-modal therapeutic strategies, and their potential for clinical translation.