Engineering molecularly imprinted polymers for receptor-specific cancer therapeutics

The therapeutic efficacy of cancer therapeutics is frequently limited by poor tumour selectivity, systemic toxicity, and the emergence of drug resistance, underscoring the need for advanced nanoscale drug delivery systems (DDSs) capable of precise molecular targeting and controlled release. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as a promising class of synthetic nanocarriers that combine highly selective and programmable molecular recognition with the robustness, tunability, and scalability of polymeric materials. This review examines recent advances in the nanoscale engineering of MIPs for receptor-guided precision cancer therapy, focusing on how imprinting strategy, polymerisation methods, and nanostructure control govern binding affinity, selectivity, and drug-release behaviour. Key advances in epitope imprinting are highlighted to overcome the size, conformational complexity, and stability challenges associated with whole-protein templates, enabling reproducible targeting of cancer-associated receptors. Emerging stimuli-responsive, hybrid, and multifunctional MIP architectures are discussed, illustrating how molecular recognition, drug loading, and triggered release can be co-engineered within a single nanoscale platform. Finally, the current challenges related to biocompatibility, reproducibility, and translation towards manufacturable and regulatory-compliant systems are critically assessed, outlining future directions for establishing MIPs as a viable class of next-generation precision DDSs in oncology.