These nanocomplexes were also injected into mice bearing subcutaneous tumor xenografts and, after photothermal therapy, tumor tissue slices were submitted to the TUNEL assay to determine the apoptosis rate, and to immunofluorescence for detecting Ki-67, hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α, N-cadherin, and epithelial cell adhesion molecule. Here, CDH2 is linked to neoplasm.