An Updated Review on Advances in Hydrogel-Based Nanoparticles for Liver Cancer Treatment

Abstract

More than 90% of all liver malignancies are hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), for which chemotherapy and immunotherapy are the ideal therapeutic choices. Hepatocellular carcinoma is descended from other liver diseases, such as viral hepatitis, alcoholism, and metabolic syndrome. Normal cells and tissues may suffer damage from common forms of chemotherapy. In contrast to systemic chemotherapy, localized chemotherapy can reduce side effects by delivering a steady stream of chemotherapeutic drugs directly to the tumor site. This highlights the significance of controlled-release biodegradable hydrogels as drug delivery methods for chemotherapeutics. This review discusses using hydrogels as drug delivery systems for HCC and covers thermosensitive, pH-sensitive, photosensitive, dual-sensitive, and glutathione-responsive hydrogels. Compared to conventional systemic chemotherapy, hydrogel-based drug delivery methods are more effective in treating cancer.

Marine Biomaterials: Hyaluronan

“…HA-based hydrogels have also been studied for use in localized cancer treatment. Due to their biocompatibility and targeting properties, they can be loaded with anti-cancer drugs or other therapeutic agents and delivered directly to the tumor site, minimizing systemic toxicity and improving treatment efficacy [ 149 ]. A hydrogel based on collagen I and hyaluronic acid (HA) was fabricated in a study, and the two components were covalently cross-linked to each other under mild HRP (horseradish peroxidase) catalysis [ 135 , 138 , 139 ].…”