Hydrogel for Cancer Therapy | 06 Jan 2025

Recently, researchers have developed an injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

The hydrogel acts as a stable reservoir for anti-cancer drugs, releasing them in a controlled manner to target cancer cells while sparing healthy ones and reducing side effects.
The hydrogel, made of biocompatible and biodegradable ultra-short peptides, responds to elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, a molecule abundant in tumour cells.
The hydrogel ensures localized drug delivery to the tumour site, improving treatment precision.
- Conventional chemotherapy and surgery harms healthy cells while treating cancerous cells.
Hydrogels are water-based, three-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining fluids.
- Their unique structure mimics living tissues, making them suitable for biomedical applications.