Advances in magnesium alloy scaffolds as next-generation anticancer platforms

Abstract

Biodegradable magnesium alloys have recently emerged as a class of multifunctional biomaterials with growing potential in oncological applications. Beyond their established roles in orthopedic and cardiovascular fields, magnesium alloys exhibit a unique capacity to modulate the tumor microenvironment through corrosion-derived products, including magnesium ions, hydrogen gas, hydroxide ions, and magnesium hydroxide. These degradation products exert pleiotropic antitumor effects by disrupting mitochondrial bioenergetics, inducing oxidative stress, regulating extracellular pH, and enhancing immune surveillance. In addition to these intrinsic mechanisms, magnesium alloys have been explored as therapeutic platforms for localized tumor intervention, including hyperthermia and surface-enabled delivery strategies. Despite these advances, challenges remain in achieving precise degradation control, ensuring biosafety, and facilitating clinical translation. This review summarizes the mechanistic basis of magnesium alloy-mediated anticancer effects and provides an overview of current therapeutic strategies, along with key barriers to clinical application. Continued progress in surface engineering, additive manufacturing, and targeted delivery systems will support the rational design of next-generation magnesium-based oncological implants.