In summary, innovative optothermal-stimulated persistent luminescence nanoparticles were developed for advanced tumor theranostics. By harnessing photothermal stimulation, the OSPLIT nanoparticles achieved significantly amplified brightness and prolonged signal duration, enabling high-contrast imaging of lymph node metastases with enhanced diagnostic precision. Furthermore, their photothermal effect facilitated targeted ablation of metastatic tumors, demonstrating dual functionality in both monitoring and treatment. Collectively, these results underscore the transformative potential of optothermal stimulation in enhancing persistent luminescence technologies for precision oncology applications. Despite significant advancements, further improvements are essential for practical deployment: (1) a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanism is needed, particularly regarding how optothermal stimulation influences charge carrier dynamics in deep traps, as revealed by theoretical modeling or spectroscopic studies; (2) although the experimental group exhibited enhanced therapeutic efficacy over control groups, the laser power required for OSPLIT nanoparticles (0.8 W cm⁻² at 808 nm) exceeds the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) maximum permissible exposure (0.33 W cm⁻²) ^[7], underscoring the need for improved photothermal efficiency to lower the necessary irradiance; (3) to achieve good imaging results, it is necessary to heat to a certain temperature, which may also damage normal cells. Future efforts should prioritize the development of lanthanide-based optothermal-stimulated persistent luminescence systems through structural engineering to accelerate the translation of next-generation persistent luminescence technologies into clinical practice.