Recent advances in smart materials for cancer therapy

Abstract Smart materials have emerged as a promising innovation in cancer treatment, offering targeted, controlled, and efficient therapeutic strategies that minimize side effects and improve patient outcomes. This review explores the development and application of various smart materials in cancer therapy, such as pH-sensitive and redox-responsive hydrogels, designed to respond to the unique conditions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), and near-infrared sensitive and electroresponsive systems (including the subfield of piezoelectric materials) that respond to exogenous stimuli, also including multiresponsive materials systems. These materials enable precise drug delivery, enhance the efficacy of traditional therapies, and integrate diagnostic capabilities, fostering the advancement of theragnostic approaches. Despite significant progress, challenges persist, impairing the clinical translation of these technologies. Future perspectives emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, the development of standardized evaluation protocols, and the integration of emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI), to overcome these challenges. Despite significant progress, these approaches face important limitations, including heterogeneity of TMEs, variability in stimuli-responsiveness, and concerns regarding long-term biocompatibility and large-scale production. Clinical translation also remains limited, with only a few polymeric or nanoparticle-based systems advancing to trials, while more complex multiresponsive and electroresponsive platforms remain at proof-of-concept stage. Future perspectives emphasize the need for standardized evaluation protocols, scalable manufacturing, and integration with emerging technologies such as AI to accelerate safe and effective translation into clinical practice.