Abstract: Photodynamic therapy(PDT) is an emerging non-invasive minimally traumatic photobiological activity therapy strategy that uses light and reactive oxygen species to remove tumor tissue. Light, photosensitizer and reactive oxygen species are the basis of PDT, among which photosensitizer is the most critical factor. Porphin has been widely recognized in the medical domain due to its advantages of large light absorptivity, deep action depth, less residue in vivo and high safety. Chlorin e6(Ce6), as a leading member of Porphin, has high efficacy in tumor clearance; however, its potentially off-target and drug resistance hinder its development. Therefore, in recent years, researchers have focused on introducing functional groups into the structure of Ce6 or using high-tech nanotechnology to improve its tumor specificity and drug targeting and have achieved good results. This article reviews the development history of photosensitizers in recent years and the related research progress of the important photosensitizer Ce6 on tumor photodynamic therapy.