Localized Hydrogel-Based Therapeutics: A Strategic Approach to Mitigating Postoperative Recurrence in Breast Cancer

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally, and breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. Even though surgical excision is the main treatment of solid tumors, recurrence and metastasis to another location postoperatively provide lasting therapeutic challenges. Systemic adverse effects and a lack of sufficient drug bioavailability at the resection site can often hinder traditional adjuvant modalities, especially chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To address these drawbacks, localized drug delivery platforms have gained a lot of interest, and hydrogels have emerged as highly beneficial systems. Hydrogels are three-dimensional hydrophilic polymer networks that can be designed to be injectable and in situ-forming. They can be engineered to fit irregular surgical cavities and deliver therapeutics in a long-lasting, controlled manner. The current literature review outlines the clinical issue of tumor recurrence following surgery with a special focus on breast cancer and evaluates hydrogel-based methods of site-specific therapy. We outline the categorization, assembly, and functionalization of hydrogel systems based on natural, synthetic, and hybrid polymers, and reflect on advanced stimuli-responsive and cell-targeted formulations in the context of cancer immunotherapy. This paper presents the translational applications of hydrogel platforms to enhance postoperative management and prevent tumor recurrence by combining new advances.