Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for enhanced tumor therapy

Cancer remains a major global health challenge, with current treatment modalities like surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy often hampered by limitations such as systemic toxicity, drug resistance, and an immuno-suppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Hydrogel technology emerges as a transformative platform to overcome these hurdles. The unique three-dimensional network structure of hydrogels allows for high drug loading, localized sustained release, and exceptional tunability. This review highlights the innovative applications of hydrogel systems in enhancing various antitumor modalities, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, gene therapy, and their combinations. By enabling spatiotemporally controlled delivery and modulating the TME, hydrogels significantly improve therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. The purpose of this study is to describe some of the latest developments in the use of hydrogels for the treatment of cancer.

• Publication year

  2026

• Venue

  RSC Advances

• Publication date

  2026-02-02

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Materials Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1039/d5ra08269bPMID 41658408PMCID 12875377
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• A Readily Synthesized All‐In‐One Nanowire Hydrogel: Toward Inhibiting Tumor Recurrence and Postoperative Infection

  2025cited by this paper
• pH and ROS Dual‐Responsive Core‐Cross‐Linked Micelles Based on Boronic Ester Linkage for Efficient PTX Delivery

  2025cited by this paper
• Design of pH-Responsive Nanomaterials Based on the Tumor Microenvironment

  2025cited by this paper
• Repurposing verteporfin and hyaluronic acid gel for ocular surface treatment to prevent corneal scarring.

  2025cited by this paper
• Important applications of DNA nanotechnology combined with CRISPR/Cas systems in biotechnology

  2025cited by this paper
• Functionalized chitosan as nano-delivery platform for CRISPR-Cas9 in cancer treatment

  2025cited by this paper
• A Review of the Development of Biopolymer Hydrogel-Based Scaffold Materials for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering Applications

  2025cited by this paper
• Smart hydrogel: A new platform for cancer therapy.

  2025cited by this paper
• NIR/reduction-responsive, extracellular matrix-based injectable hydrogels for photothermal and chemo- cancer therapy

  2025cited by this paper
• Photopharmacology and photoresponsive drug delivery.

  2025cited by this paper
• Transdermal delivery of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated melanoma gene therapy via polyamines-modified thermosensitive hydrogels

  2025cited by this paper
• A controllable self-amplifying oxidative stress strategy for boosting noninvasive sonodynamic therapy and synergistic immunotherapy.

  2025cited by this paper
• H2O2‑Responsive Boronic Ester-Modified Mesoporous Silica Nanocarrier for TfR Mediated Tumor-Specific Drug Delivery Applications

  2025cited by this paper
• Targeted ROS Scavenging for Disease Therapies Using Nanomaterials

  2025cited by this paper
• Advances in Hydrogel-Based Delivery of RNA Drugs for Antitumor Therapy

  2025cited by this paper
• Dual network composite hydrogels with robust antibacterial and antifouling capabilities for efficient wound healing.

  2024cited by this paper
• Drug conjugates crosslinked bioresponsive hydrogel for combination therapy of diabetic wound.

  2024cited by this paper
• Biomacromolecular hydrogel scaffolds from microfluidics for cancer therapy: A review.

  2024cited by this paper
• Hydrogel-based platforms for site-specific doxorubicin release in cancer therapy

  2024cited by this paper
• A cuproptosis nanocapsule for cancer radiotherapy

  2024cited by this paper
• Injectable dual thermoreversible hydrogel for sustained intramuscular drug delivery.

  2024cited by this paper
• Emodin in-situ delivery with Pluronic F-127 hydrogel for myocardial infarction treatment: Enhancing efficacy and reducing hepatotoxicity.

  2024cited by this paper
• Reinforced Polymer–Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Subcutaneous and Sustained Delivery of Trastuzumab

  2024cited by this paper
• Development and Applications of PLGA Hydrogels for Sustained Delivery of Therapeutic Agents

  2024cited by this paper
• Immune-Related Adverse Events Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and CAR-T Cell Therapy: A Comprehensive Imaging-Based Review

  2024cited by this paper
• Highly swellable, cytocompatible and biodegradeable guar gum-based hydrogel system for controlled release of bioactive components of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.): Synthesis and evaluation.

  2024cited by this paper
• How the combination of alginate and chitosan can fabricate a hydrogel with favorable properties for wound healing

  2024cited by this paper
• Controlled release of vancomycin from PEGylated fibrinogen polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel.

  2024cited by this paper
• Curvature-mediated rapid extravasation and penetration of nanoparticles against interstitial fluid pressure for improved drug delivery

  2024cited by this paper
• ROS-responsive thermosensitive polypeptide hydrogels for localized drug delivery and improved tumor chemoimmunotherapy.

  2024cited by this paper
• Combinatorial strategies to target RAS-driven cancers

  2024cited by this paper
• Transforming post pandemic cancer services

  2024cited by this paper
• Commercial hydrogel product for drug delivery based on route of administration

  2024cited by this paper
• Navigating the frontier: Comprehensive insights into CRISPR technology advancements, delivery strategies, and ethical considerations in cancer research

  2024cited by this paper
• An injectable thermosensitive hyaluronic acid/pluronic F-127 hydrogel for deep penetration and combination therapy of frozen shoulder.

  2024cited by this paper
• Injectable Alginate Complex Hydrogel Loaded with Dual-Drug Nanovectors Offers Effective Photochemotherapy against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  2024cited by this paper
• STING agonist-based hydrogel enhances immune activation in synergy with radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

  2024cited by this paper
• In-situ-sprayed therapeutic hydrogel for oxygen-actuated Janus regulation of postsurgical tumor recurrence/metastasis and wound healing

  2024cited by this paper
• A bioactive composite hydrogel dressing that promotes healing of both acute and chronic diabetic skin wounds

  2024cited by this paper
• ROS-responsive camptothecin-linked thioketal drug delivery system based on ring-closing polymerization

  2024cited by this paper
• Advanced hydrogel material for colorectal cancer treatment

  2024cited by this paper
• Multi-drug sequential release systems: Construction and application for synergistic tumor treatment.

  2024cited by this paper
• Localized Microrobotic Delivery of Enzyme‐Responsive Hydrogel‐Immobilized Therapeutics to Suppress Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer

  2024cited by this paper
• Injectable pH-responsive polypeptide hydrogels for local delivery of doxorubicin

  2024cited by this paper
• Hydrogel local drug delivery systems for postsurgical management of tumors: Status Quo and perspectives

  2024cited by this paper
• Hydrogel systems for targeted cancer therapy

  2023cited by this paper
• Collagen hydrogel with multiple antimicrobial mechanisms as anti-bacterial wound dressing.

  2023cited by this paper
• Modification, 3D printing process and application of sodium alginate based hydrogels in soft tissue engineering: A review.

  2023cited by this paper
• Cutaneous melanoma.

  2023cited by this paper
• Current understanding of CTLA-4: from mechanism to autoimmune diseases

  2023cited by this paper
• Nanomaterials in tumor immunotherapy: new strategies and challenges

  2023cited by this paper
• Peptide-Based Double-Network Hydrogels for Melanoma Treatment and Wound Healing Promotion.

  2023cited by this paper
• Gel/hydrogel‐based in situ biomaterial platforms for cancer postoperative treatment and recovery

  2023cited by this paper
• Dual stimuli-responsive gelatin-based hydrogel for pH and temperature-sensitive delivery of curcumin anticancer drug

  2023cited by this paper
• Immune mechanisms of toxicity from checkpoint inhibitors.

  2023cited by this paper
• Hyaluronic Acid as Bioink and Hydrogel Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications.

  2023cited by this paper
• Cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs): potential, mechanisms of resistance, and strategies for reinvigorating T cell responsiveness when resistance is acquired

  2023cited by this paper
• pH-responsive polyacrylic acid (PAA)-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) hydrogel incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNT) for controlled curcumin delivery

  2023cited by this paper
• The Use of Hydrogel-Based Materials for Radioprotection

  2023cited by this paper
• Hydrogels for RNA delivery

  2023cited by this paper
• Properties of Poly (Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) and Progress of Poly (Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid)-Based Biodegradable Materials in Biomedical Research

  2023cited by this paper
• Self-powered, light-controlled, bioresorbable platforms for programmed drug delivery

  2023cited by this paper
• Hydrogel-mediated tumor T cell infiltration and immune evasion to reinforce cancer immunotherapy.

  2023cited by this paper
• Recent Advances in Biomimetic Nanocarrier-Based Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Treatment

  2023cited by this paper
• Cancer treatment therapies: traditional to modern approaches to combat cancers

  2023cited by this paper
• Engineered elastin-like polypeptide-based hydrogel delivering chemotherapeutics and PD-L1 antibodies for potentiated cancer immunotherapy.

  2023cited by this paper
• Matrix Metalloproteinase-Responsive Drug Delivery Systems.

  2023cited by this paper
• Nucleic acid-based artificial nanocarriers for gene therapy.

  2023cited by this paper
• Preparation, physicochemical characterization and swelling properties of composite hydrogel microparticles based on gelatin and pectins with different structure.

  2023cited by this paper
• Chitosan-hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel for the pH-responsive Co-delivery of cisplatin and doxorubicin.

  2022cited by this paper
• Surgery-Mediated Tumor-Promoting Effects on the Immune Microenvironment.

  2022cited by this paper
• Effective drug combinations in breast, colon and pancreatic cancer cells

  2022cited by this paper
• Enzyme-responsive strategy as a prospective cue to construct intelligent biomaterials for disease diagnosis and therapy.

  2022cited by this paper
• Injectable Carbon Dots-Based Hydrogel for Combined Photothermal Therapy and Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer.

  2022cited by this paper
• A critical analysis of the recent developments in multi-stimuli responsive smart hydrogels for cancer treatment

  2022cited by this paper
• Nanohydroxyapatite Stimulates PD-L1 Expression to Boost Melanoma Combination Immunotherapy.

  2022cited by this paper
• Light responsive hydrogels for controlled drug delivery

  2022cited by this paper
• An injectable and pH-responsive hyaluronic acid hydrogel as metformin carrier for prevention of breast cancer recurrence.

  2022cited by this paper
• Ultrasound Responsive Smart Implantable Hydrogels for Targeted Delivery of Drugs: Reviewing Current Practices

  2022cited by this paper
• Active and passive drug release by self-assembled lubricin (PRG4) anti-fouling coatings.

  2022cited by this paper
• Injectable hydrogels as drug delivery platform for in-situ treatment of malignant tumor

  2022cited by this paper
• Customized Multifunctional Peptide Hydrogel Scaffolds for CAR-T-Cell Rapid Proliferation and Solid Tumor Immunotherapy.

  2022cited by this paper
• Tumor regionalization after surgery: Roles of the tumor microenvironment and neutrophil extracellular traps

  2022cited by this paper
• Three-dimensional tailor-made collagen-like proteins hydrogel for tissue engineering applications.

  2022cited by this paper
• Cell membrane-camouflaged inorganic nanoparticles for cancer therapy

  2022cited by this paper
• Hydrogel-based co-delivery of CIK cells and oncolytic adenovirus armed with IL12 and IL15 for cancer immunotherapy.

  2022cited by this paper
• In vitro-in vivo correlation of PLGA microspheres: Effect of polymer source variation and temperature.

  2022cited by this paper
• Hydrogels: Properties and Applications in Biomedicine

  2022cited by this paper
• Thioether-based ROS responsive polymers for biomedical applications.

  2022cited by this paper
• Redox-Responsive Hydrogels for Tunable and “On-Demand” Release of Biomacromolecules

  2022cited by this paper
• Drug delivery strategy in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

  2022cited by this paper
• Tumor immunotherapies by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs); the pros and cons

  2022cited by this paper
• Injectable adhesive hemostatic gel with tumor acidity neutralizer and neutrophil extracellular traps lyase for enhancing adoptive NK cell therapy prevents post-resection recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

  2022cited by this paper
• Photothermal therapy-mediated autophagy in breast cancer treatment: Progress and trends.

  2022cited by this paper
• Chitosan hydrogels incorporating colloids for sustained drug delivery.

  2022cited by this paper
• Measurable residual disease in multiple myeloma and in acute myeloid leukemia, an evolving topic.

  2021cited by this paper
• Serially pH-Modulated Hydrogels Based on Boronate Ester and Polydopamine Linkages for Local Cancer Therapy.

  2021cited by this paper
• Antitumor Effects of Self-Assembling Peptide-Emodin in situ Hydrogels in vitro and in vivo

  2021cited by this paper
• Engineered Protein Photo‐Thermal Hydrogels for Outstanding In Situ Tongue Cancer Therapy

  2021cited by this paper
• Dual-Functional PLGA Nanoparticles Co-Loaded with Indocyanine Green and Resiquimod for Prostate Cancer Treatment

  2021cited by this paper

• No citing papers are available for this paper.