Combinatorial
cancer therapies mediated by nanomaterials can potentially overcome the limitations of conventional treatments. These
therapies are generally investigated using 2D in vitro
cancer models, leading to an inaccurate screening. Recently, 3D in vitro spheroids have emerged in the preclinical testing stage of nanomedicines due to their ability to mimic key features of the in vivo solid
tumors. Investigate the chemo-
photothermal therapy mediated by
Doxorubicin and IR780 loaded
sulfobetaine methacrylate functionalized nanoparticles, for the first time, using monolayers of
cancer cells and spheroids. In the 2D
cancer models, the nanomaterials' mediated
photothermal therapy,
chemotherapy, and chemo-
photothermal therapy reduced
cancer cells' viability to about 58%, 29%, and 1%, respectively. Interestingly, when the nanomaterials' mediated
photothermal therapy is tested on 3D spheroids, no cytotoxic effect is noticed. In contrast, the nanostructures' induced
chemotherapy decreased spheroids' viability to 42%. On the other hand, nanomaterials' mediated chemo-
photothermal therapy diminished spheroids' viability to 16%, being the most promising therapeutic modality. These results demonstrate the importance of using 3D spheroids during the in vitro screening of single/combinatorial
therapies mediated by nanomaterials.