Issue 30, 2024

Recent research progress on tumour-specific responsive hydrogels

Abstract

Most existing hydrogels, even recently developed injectable hydrogels that undergo a reversible sol–gel phase transition in response to external stimuli, are designed to gel immediately before or after implantation/injection to prevent the free diffusion of materials and drugs; however, the property of immediate gelation leads to a very weak tumour-targeting ability, limiting their application in anticancer therapy. Therefore, the development of tumour-specific responsive hydrogels for anticancer therapy is imperative because tumour-specific responses improve their tumour-targeting efficacy, increase therapeutic effects, and decrease toxicity and side effects. In this review, we introduce the following three types of tumour-responsive hydrogels: (1) hydrogels that gel specifically at the tumour site; (2) hydrogels that decompose specifically at the tumour site; and (3) hydrogels that react specifically with tumours. For each type, their compositions, the mechanisms of tumour-specific responsiveness and their applications in anticancer treatment are comprehensively discussed.

Graphical abstract: Recent research progress on tumour-specific responsive hydrogels

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
28 3 2024
Accepted
04 6 2024
First published
06 6 2024

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 7246-7266

Recent research progress on tumour-specific responsive hydrogels

X. Zhou, C. Wang, Z. Shen, Y. Wang, Y. Li, Y. Hu, P. Zhang and Q. Zhang, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 7246 DOI: 10.1039/D4TB00656A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements