Nanogel for Cancer Drug Delivery: A Review of Recent Advances and Therapeutic

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the globe. The conventional cancer therapies have several drawbacks, like non-specific biodistribution, poor stability, and significant systemic toxicity. Nanogels are increasingly recognized as a promising type of nanocarrier for cancer therapy because of their structural versatility, biocompatibility, and remarkable drug-loading efficiency. As cross-linked polymeric hydrogel nanoparticles, they offer multiple benefits, including enhancing the solubility of hydrophobic drugs, enabling controlled and stimulus-responsive release, improving tumour-specific delivery through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, and reducing systemic toxicity. Recent progress in nanogel engineering has introduced smart modifications such as pH-, temperature-, enzyme-, and redox-responsive designs, which allow exact and localized drug release within the tumor microenvironment. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of nanogels, their types, and effects on various types of cancers.