Jul 2026· Journal of Materials Science· Vol 61, pp. 24874 - 24892· 0 citations· 38 references
TL;DR
In vivo animal experiments show that the drug-loaded scaffold significantly inhibits tumor recurrence and distant metastasis while exhibiting low chemotherapy drug toxicity and causing no damage to healthy tissues, making it a novel candidate for post-mastectomy prognosis in breast tumors and effective cancer treatment.
One of the main issues in oncology is tumor recurrence following resection, which is responsible for a large number of patient deaths and treatment failures in a variety of malignancies. Despite advancements in adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation, residual disease that remains inside or close to the resection cavity and is difficult for systemic therapies to eradicate is the cause of further local recurrence. Hydrogel-nanoparticle (HNP) composites are a new class of therapeutic platforms that emerged from the recent convergence of biomaterial science and nanomedicine. Their specific goals are to fill the surgical gap, provide long-term localized drug release, and energetically remodel the post-surgical tumor microenvironment (TME). This paper includes the biological foundations of localized post-surgical therapy, important physicochemical considerations of the hydrogel matrix and nanoparticle carrier design, and a compilation of mechanistic and preclinical evidence for HNP hybrid platforms. Immunomodulatory strategies, stimuli-responsive release mechanism engineering, and novel techniques, including combination immunotherapy and 3D-printed customized scaffolds, are all given special attention. Examples of translational challenges are also addressed, such as manufacturing repeatability, biocompatibility, and regulatory classification. When considered collectively, the data demonstrate that HNP platforms are a convincing, practically feasible approach to reducing post-surgical recurrence rates and enhancing patient outcomes.
Bogdan Mircea Măciuceanu Zărnescu, Denisa Nicoleta Mușat, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu et al.· Nanomaterials· 2 citations
An autologous tumor cell-integrated microporous annealed particle scaffold co-delivering an immune adjuvant and an indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitor for tumor postoperative therapy is developed, establishing a paradigm that unifies personalized immunotherapy with personalized tissue repair, offering substantial promise for postsurgical cancer therapy.
Bladder cancer is among the most common malignancies of the urinary system and is characterized by high recurrence rates and unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Current therapeutic strategies are limited by inadequate local efficacy, rapid drug loss caused by the bladder microenvironment, and systemic toxicity associated with conventional chemotherapy. In this study, we developed a localized therapeutic platform for bladder cancer based on a hyaluronic acid-phenylboronic acid/poly(vinyl alcohol) (HA-PBA/PVA) dual-network hydrogel incorporating liposomes co-loaded with resveratrol (Res) and gemcitabine (Gem). The hydrogel system was designed to provide sustained local drug delivery and improved intravesical retention. Physicochemical characterization demonstrated favorable injectability, self-healing capacity, mechanical stability, and pH-responsive sustained-release behavior. The embedded liposomes exhibited a uniform nanoscale size distribution and high drug encapsulation efficiency. In vitro studies showed that the composite hydrogel displayed good biocompatibility and significantly inhibited MB49 bladder cancer cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion. In vivo evaluation further demonstrated favorable biosafety and enhanced antitumor efficacy of the hydrogel-based local delivery system. These findings indicate that the HA-PBA/PVA hydrogel-liposome composite system is a promising localized therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer.
Unknown authors· ACS Applied Bio Materials· 0 citations
Postoperative recurrence and metastasis remain formidable challenges in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), primarily due to bleeding-driven tumor dissemination and residual microscopic lesions after resection. However, the current surgical operation offers limited intraoperative treatment strategies to prevent these events. Herein, a multifunctional Janus-inspired therapeutic patch (JTP) is designed to bridge surgical resection and localized chemotherapy within a single intraoperative implant. The JTP features a trilayer Janus architecture that enables integrated control over hemostasis, tumor interception, and intratumoral chemotherapy. Specifically, the inner gelatin-hyaluronic acid sponge enables rapid hemostasis (1.24 min) and capture of circulating tumor cells. The middle gemcitabine-loaded polylactic acid nanofiber layer enables sustained and local drug release of gemcitabine (GEM) toward the surgical resection site, while the outer hydrophobic polycaprolactone backing serves as a protective barrier, preventing peritoneal adhesion and drug diffusion in unwanted directions (less than 5%). In an orthotopic PDAC resection model, a single JTP implantation achieved 78% blood loss reduction, ∼89% tumor suppression, and substantial inhibition of hepatic metastasis, extending survival to 38 days with 80% survival rate. By transforming the surgical site into an active therapeutic interface, this Janus-inspired patch establishes an effective strategy that bridges surgery and intratumoral chemotherapy for effective postoperative PDAC control.
Xuan Pan, Xiaoming Wang, Qin Dang et al.· Materials Today Bio· 0 citations
Overall, the most clinically realistic direction is a staged and adaptable platform that provides early local tumor control while progressively supporting bone regeneration and structural reconstruction.
Xiaonan Wang, Aobo Zhang· International Journal of Bio...· 0 citations
The development of biocompatible and biodegradable drug delivery systems remains a major challenge in cancer therapy, particularly for the localized and sustained release of poorly soluble, unstable, and highly toxic compounds. 7‐Ethyl‐10‐hydroxycamptothecin (SN‐38), the active metabolite of irinotecan, offers superior anticancer efficacy but suffers from the aforementioned drawbacks, limiting its clinical use. The use of its prodrug, irinotecan, improves its solubility and stability and is the treatment of choice for many types of malignancies, though its systemic administration in cancer patients leads to significant side effects due to off‐target exposure. Here, a bio‐inspired, implantable biopolymeric platform based on crosslinked chitosan for localized and sustained SN‐38 delivery is presented. Engineered using 3D printed molds into a gyroid architecture, the implants provide sustained SN‐38 release over 90 days in vitro with partial biodegradation in vitro. In vivo studies using HCT116 human colorectal cancer xenografts demonstrate significant tumor growth inhibition without evidence of systemic toxicity by under the conditions tested. This platform showcases a functional materials approach to overcome key limitations in conventional drug delivery technologies and supports the feasibility of localized chemotherapy delivery to solid tumors.
