| PP | 1,2-bis-(diphenylphosphino)ethane |
| PTA | 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane |
| IPr | 1,3-Bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl) imidazol-2-ylidene |
| dppb | 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane |
| DAPTA | 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane |
| BCL-2 | B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 |
| dppm | Bis(diphenylphosphino)methane |
| CA | Carbonic anhydrase |
| CRC | Colorectal cancer |
| CT | Computed tomography |
| COX | Cyclooxygenase |
| Cys | Cysteine |
| DLC | Delocalised lipophilic cations |
| dppp | Diphosphane 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane |
| DDS | Drug delivery system |
| EPR | Enhanced permeability and retention |
| EGFR | Epidermal growth factor receptor |
| GSH | Gluthathione |
| GSSG | Glutathione disulphide |
| GPx | Glutathione peroxidase |
| GR | Glutathione reductase |
| GNP | Gold nanoparticle |
| iNOS | Inducible nitric oxide synthase |
| MRI | Magnetic resonance imaging |
| MAPK | Mitogen activated kinases |
| NAC | N-acyclic carbene |
| NHC | N-heterocyclic carbene |
| NIR | Near-infrared |
| NO | Nitric oxide |
| OCT | Optical coherence tomography |
| PAM | Photoacoustic microscopy |
| PDT | Photodynamic therapy |
| PTT | Photothermal therapy |
| PARP-1 | Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 |
| PEI | Polyethyleneniumine |
| PEG | Polyethylene glycol |
| PLGA | Poly(lactic-co-glicolic acid) |
| PD-L1 | Programmed death-ligand 1 |
| RT | Radiotherapy |
| ROS | Reactive oxygen species |
| Sec | Selenocysteine |
| SAR | Structure-activity relationship |
| SPR | Surface plasmon resonance |
| Trx | Thioredoxin |
| TrxR | Thioredoxin reductase |
| thp | Tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine |
| thpp | Tris(hydroxypropyl)phosphine |
| TPPTS | Triphenylphosphane trisulphonated |
| TNF | Tumor necrosis factor |
| TNFR | Tumor necrosis factor receptor |
| (UPS) | Ubiquitin/proteasome system |
| VEGF | Vascular endothelial growth factor |
| C11Pc | Zinc phthalocyanine disulphide |