Graphene-Based Materials: A Multifunctional Platform for Comprehensive Perioperative Management of Cancer.

Abstract

Perioperative cancer care constitutes a continuous management process that spans from precise preoperative diagnosis and surgical resection to long-term recurrence monitoring after surgery, each stage of which presents distinct challenges and critically influences patient prognosis and quality of life. Current independent technologies, often coupled with single-functional materials, are unable to cope with this complex, multi-stage, continuous trajectory, resulting in fragmented improvements that are frequently offset by disease deterioration or recurrence. Graphene-based materials (GBMs), owing to their unique physicochemical properties, intrinsic bioactivities, programmable architectures, and dynamic responsiveness, hold promise for constructing a novel multifunctional integrated platform capable of synergistically tackling the multifaceted challenges across the perioperative continuum. Unlike previous literature that focused on isolated applications, this study is the first to conceptualize GBMs as a unified platform for perioperative cancer closed-loop management, covering preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative navigation, postoperative rehabilitation (including hemostasis, antibacterial defense, and wound healing), tissue regeneration, long-term recurrence monitoring, and intervention. Our objective is to illustrate how GBM-based platforms integrate disparate stages of care, thereby transforming perioperative cancer management from a passive, fragmented approach into a proactive and closed-loop system that enables dynamic monitoring, intelligent responsiveness, and precise intervention throughout the entire treatment cycle. Despite these advantages, clinical translation still necessitates advances in biosafety profiling, renal clearance evaluation, and regulatory pathway navigation, which can be achieved through rational material design, standardized safety assessment, and early engagement with regulatory agencies. Such efforts will facilitate the transition of GBMs from the laboratory to the clinic and ultimately improve patient outcomes and quality of life.