Overview of biodegradable materials for bone repair and osteosarcoma treatment: From bulk to scaffolds

Osteosarcoma, the most common type of malignant bone tumor that affects growing bones in teenagers and children, has become a significant challenge for medical science. The combination of chemotherapy and surgery has been the standard treatment strategy for decades. However, concerns about tumor recurrence and the toxic effects of the drugs continue to drive materials scientists to develop multifunctional scaffolds that can simultaneously support bone regeneration and prevent tumor recurrence. Emergent multifunctional scaffolds have the potential to foster essential and dynamic cellular communication, which can directly target, signal, stimulate, and enhance the body's natural bone repair response. This review emphasizes the mechanisms involved and highlights various technologies and manufacturing processes that align with the capability of these scaffolds to effectively promote bone repair, especially in the presence of osteosarcoma. Additionally, the review summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding scaffolds based on magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe), as well as the antitumor properties of their corrosion products. The review also discusses the therapeutic potential of Mg-, Zn-, and Fe-based materials in inhibiting osteosarcoma cell proliferation. The article elaborates on the main research challenges and prospects of biodegradable materials for bone repair and osteosarcoma treatment.