Cancer remains a leading global health challenge, with limitations in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy driving interest in alternative modalities. Phototherapy, comprising photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy, has shown promising antitumor efficacy, yet conventional photosensitizers and photothermal agents often suffer from poor stability, limited tissue specificity, and suboptimal in vivo performance. Metal-based nanomaterials effectively address the above limitations and