Smart hydrogel: A new platform for cancer therapy

• Published in: Advances in colloid and interface science Vol. 340; p. 103470
• Main Authors: Guo, Li, Fu, Ziming, Li, Haoran, Wei, Ruibo, Guo, Jing, Wang, Haiwang, Qi, Jian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2025
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Artificial intelligence; Cancer therapy; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Liberation; Humans; Hydrogels - chemistry; Machine Learning; Natural and synthetic materials; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - pathology; Smart hydrogel; Smart Materials - chemistry; Smart-responsive; Natural and synthetic materials; Smart hydrogel; Artificial intelligence; Smart-responsive; Cancer therapy
• ISSN: 0001-8686; 1873-3727; 1873-3727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2025.103470

Cancer is a significant contributor to mortality worldwide, posing a significant threat to human life and health. The unique bioactivity, ability to precisely control drug release, and minimally invasive properties of hydrogels are indispensable attributes that facilitate optimal performance in cancer therapy. However, conventional hydrogels lack the ability to dynamically respond to changes in the surrounding environment, withstand drastic changes in the microenvironment, and trigger drug release on demand. Therefore, this review focuses on smart-responsive hydrogels that are capable of adapting and responding to external stimuli. We comprehensively summarize the raw materials, preparation, and cross-linking mechanisms of smart hydrogels derived from natural and synthetic materials, elucidate the response principles of various smart-responsive hydrogels according to different stimulation sources. Further, we systematically illustrate the important role played by hydrogels in modern cancer therapies within the context of therapeutic principles. Meanwhile, the smart hydrogel that uses machine learning to design precise drug delivery has shown great prospects in cancer therapy. Finally, we present the outlook on future developments and make suggestions for future related work. It is anticipated that this review will promote the practical application of smart hydrogels in cancer therapy and contribute to the advancement of medical treatment. This review is concerned with the subject of smart hydrogels, a class of materials that are capable of sensing and adapting to external changes. In order to gain an understanding of the subject, it is necessary to examine the building blocks of smart hydrogels, whether of natural or synthetic origin, as well as their synthesis methods and cross-linking strategies. In addition, it is important to analyze the mechanism of how each type of smart hydrogel responds to different external stimuli, which is broken down by stimulus type. In light of these considerations, we examine the central role of smart hydrogels in modern tumor therapy, elucidating how they can enhance efficacy based on therapeutic principles. Furthermore, we explore the potential applications of smart hydrogels at the intersection of materials science and artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of utilizing machine learning techniques for pattern recognition, data analysis, and the construction of accurate predictive models. [Display omitted] •Smart hydrogels as novel cancer therapy platforms are reviewed.•Raw materials, preparation, and cross-linking mechanisms are summarized.•Different stimulus response types and cancer therapies are comprehensively summarized.•Machine learning (ML) optimizes the precise design of drug delivery systems.