Melanoma　is　a　primary　reason　of　death　from　skin　cancer　and　associated　with　high　lethality.　Photothermal　therapy　(PTT)　has　been　developed　into　a　powerful　cancer　treatment　technique　in　recent　years.　Here,　we　created　a　low-cost　and　high-performance　PTT　agent,　Ag@TiO2　NPs,　which　possesses　a　high　photothermal　conversion　efficiency　of　approximate　to　65　%　and　strong　near-infrared　(NIR)　absorption　about　808　nm.　Ag　NPs　were　synthesized　using　a　two-step　method　and　coated　with　TiO2　to　obtain　Ag@TiO2　NPs　by　a　facile　sol-gel　method.　Because　of　the　oxide,　Ag@TiO2　NPs　exhibit　remarkable　high　photothermal　conversion　efficiencies　and　biocompatibility　in　vivo　and　in　vitro.　Cytotoxicity　and　therapeutic　efficiency　of　photothermal　cytotoxicity　of　Ag@TiO2　NPs　were　tested　in　B16-F10　cells　and　C57BL/6J　mice.　Under　light　irradiation,　the　elevated　temperature　causes　cell　death　in　Ag　NPs-treated　(100　mu　g　mL(-1))　cells　in　vitro　(both　p＜0.01).　In　the　case　of　subcutaneous　melanoma　tumor　model,　Ag@TiO2　NPs　(100　mu　g　mL(-1))　were　injected　into　the　tumor　and　irradiated　with　a　808　nm　laser　of　2　W　cm(-2)　for　1　minute.　As　a　consequence,　the　tumor　volume　gradually　decreased　by　NIR　laser　irradiation　with　only　a　single　treatment.　The　results　demonstrate　that　Ag@TiO2　NPs　are　biocompatible　and　an　attractive　photothermal　agent　for　cutaneous　melanoma　by　local　delivery.