Exploring the role of 4D printing materials, techniques, and characteristics for personalized oncology

Cancer is still a global concern. Cancer management is intricate in all fields, from diagnosing or defining prognosis to selecting appropriate treatment and managing its adverse effects. In recent years, three-dimensional printing (3DP) innovations have emerged as a ground-breaking technology, offering new possibilities for cancer management. 3DP has advanced further with the addition of a fourth dimension, time, resulting in the concept of four-dimensional printing (4DP), ultimately revolutionizing the approach to cancer management. The 4DP technique has gained attention for its potential applications in cancer therapeutics. It is the next generation of the 3DP technique, which facilitates the advanced fabrication of dynamic constructs. The dynamic nature of 4D materials introduces the element of time, allowing for the observation of temporal changes in cancer behavior and response to therapeutic interventions. The use of 4DP in cancer research holds great promise for advancing our understanding of the disease and improving the translation of preclinical findings to clinical applications. However, 4DP is still in the early stages; thus, research is needed to prove its feasibility in healthcare applications. This review will illustrate the mechanisms used to induce the dynamic constructs of 4DP in cancer management. The recent potential applications of 4DP in cancer therapeutics will be further detailed, and future perspectives and conclusions will finally be proposed.