Method and composition for hyperthermally treating cells

A method of proving thermotherapy to a patient, the method comprising (a) administering to a patient in need thereof a composition comprising at least one biocompatible excipient and at least one nanoparticle conjugated to an activatable cell penetrating peptide (ACPP) forming a nanoparticle-ACPP conjugate under conditions to provide a concentration at a target site sufficient to be amenable to thermal therapy,

• (b) providing an energy source wherein the nanoparticles respond by expanding thus generating an acoustic signal, and
• (c) measuring the acoustic signal and relating the measured signal to a temperature of the nanoparticle-ACPP conjugate and controlling the temperature of the nanoparticle-ACPP conjugate based on the acoustic signal sufficient to result in decrease in at least one of tumor size, tumor mass, tumor presence, tumor cell damage, and tumor cell viability at the site, thus effecting patient therapy.