ReviewPost screenInjectable hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for local cancer therapy

- Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems can be more efficacious than the systemic therapies.
- They provide a high concentration and a sustained release of the drugs at tumor site.
- Thermo-, pH-, photo- and dual-sensitive hydrogels can be used for local drug delivery.

Common chemotherapy is often associated with adverse effects in normal cells and tissues. As an alternative approach, localized chemotherapy can diminish the toxicity of systemic chemotherapy while providing a sustained release of the chemotherapeutics at the target tumor site. Therefore, injectable biodegradable hydrogels as drug delivery systems for chemotherapeutics have become a matter of importance. Here, we review the application of a variety of injectable hydrogel-based drug delivery systems, including thermosensitive, pH-sensitive, photosensitive, dual-sensitive, as well as active targeting hydrogels, for the treatment of different types of cancer. Generally, injectable hydrogel-based drug delivery systems are found to be more efficacious than the conventional systemic chemotherapy in terms of cancer treatment.