Recent Advances in Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels for Tumor Immunotherapy

Abstract

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and led to a significant increase in patient survival rates and quality of life. However, the effectiveness of current immunotherapies is limited by various factors, including immune evasion mechanisms and serious side effects. Hydrogels are a type of medical material with an ideal biocompatibility, variable structure, flexible synthesis method, and physical properties. Hydrogels have long been recognized and used as a superior choice for various biomedical applications. The fascinating results were derived from both in vitro and in vivo models. The rapid expansion of this area suggests that the principles and uses of functionalized polysaccharides are transformative, motivating researchers to investigate novel polysaccharide-based hydrogels for wider applications. Polysaccharide hydrogels have proven to be a practicable delivery strategy for tumor immunotherapy due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and pronounced bioactive characteristics. This study aims to examine in detail the latest developments of polysaccharide hydrogels in tumor immunotherapy, focusing on their design, mechanism of action, and potential therapeutic applications.