Engineered Hydrogels Revolutionize Locoregional Cancer Immunotherapy

Abstract

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative approach in oncology, leveraging immune activation to combat malignancies. Despite attaining impressive results, some patients’ subpar reactions draw attention to issues, including insufficient drug accumulation, low therapeutic efficacy, and systemic toxicity. Hydrogel-based delivery systems have emerged as promising solutions due to their biocompatibility, customizable drug release profiles, and ability to maintain local drug retention within tumor tissue. The systems provide the simultaneous delivery of various immunomodulators, including checkpoint inhibitors, cellular treatments, and mRNA vaccines, effectively tackling the intricacies of the tumor microenvironment. Strategies that combine immunotherapy with traditional treatments (chemotherapy, radiation) and novel approaches (photodynamic/photothermal therapy) exhibit synergistic results by promoting immune activation and inhibiting tumor growth. This review thoroughly analyzes hydrogel classifications, mechanistic benefits in localized immunotherapy, and recent developments in combination treatment platforms. Significant obstacles in clinical translation, such as material optimization and the navigation of biological barriers, are examined, while suggesting future pathways through advanced material engineering and precise delivery methods. As hydrogel technology advances with innovative biomaterials and combinatorial strategies, it possesses considerable promise to transform tumor immunotherapy by improving treatment accuracy and reducing off-target effects.