Recent advances in hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for enhanced cancer therapy: A review

Hydrogels have been identified as a strong group of biomaterials that improve the performance and selectivity of drug delivery applications, especially in cancer treatment. This review systematically summarizes the state of the art in hydrogel-based systems over the past few years, focusing on the multiple types of stimuli sensitivity, such as thermo-, pH-, redox-, and light-sensitivity, which enable targeted drug release in different tumor regions. This comprehensive review article distinguishes between natural and synthetic hydrogels and assesses their potential as drug delivery systems. A focused discussion is presented to detail their uses in various types of cancers, including breast, ovarian, prostate, lung, liver, and gastric cancer, to demonstrate the versatility of hydrogels in enabling site-specific and prolonged drug delivery with minimal off-target effects. Still, issues concerning mechanical solidity, drug encapsulation capability, biocompatibility, and intricate regulatory procedures slow down the translation from bench to bedside. In turn, future studies can minimize the challenges above and enhance the properties of hydrogels to achieve the highest therapeutic efficacy and practical applicability. This review will serve as a valuable reference for researchers and clinicians interested in utilizing hydrogel technology to enhance the current approach to cancer therapy and promote the development of personalized treatment methods.