Microneedle-based theranostics for melanoma: Advances and outlook

Melanoma represents a highly aggressive malignancy that poses persistent challenges for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Although surgical intervention remains the primary therapeutic approach, the potential risk of postoperative recurrence and surgical complications underscores the critical importance of adjuvant therapies. Microneedles (MNs), as a promising drug delivery device, utilize micron-sized needle arrays to penetrate the skin's stratum corneum, achieving precise drug delivery. Furthermore, MNs can effectively extract biomarkers from interstitial fluid (ISF), holding great potential for early disease screening and point-of-care testing (POCT). This review systematically summarizes the classification and advanced design strategies of MNs, alongside the latest progress in nano-integrated MN platforms for melanoma diagnosis and treatment. The advantages and limitations of novel therapies, as well as the synergistic mechanisms underlying combination treatments, are discussed in detail. Finally, we explore the major challenges in clinical translation, such as large-scale manufacturing and regulatory hurdles, while outlining future directions, including multi-stimuli responsive designs and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in MN fabrication and application.