Nanotechnology for the Treatment of Radiation Dermatitis: Advances and Translational Perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Radiation dermatitis is the most common complication of radiotherapy, but conventional treatments only alleviate some symptoms, with limited efficacy and safety, thus necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. This review synthesizes current understanding of radiation dermatitis pathogenesis, and highlights recent advances enabled by nanomaterial-based strategies. We categorize nanomaterials according to their mechanisms of action and pathological stage-specific application in radiation dermatitis. Fullerene alcohol, a representative direct antioxidant material—has demonstrated preliminary clinical efficacy; immune microenvironment-modulating materials exert therapeutic effects on chronic inflammation and fibrosis via synergistic, multi-pathway regulation; and composite biomaterials enable coordinated, multi-targeted repair. We further identify key translational barriers impeding clinical translation: biological safety, scalable manufacturing, regulatory uncertainty, and tumor safety risks. Future efforts should prioritize collaborative safety assessment, scalable manufacturing, and stage-tailored clinical trials to accelerate the clinical adoption of nanomaterials.