Electrospun Nanofiber Therapeutics for Localized Post-Surgical Breast Cancer Treatment
Adjuvant therapy following breast cancer surgery remains challenged by systemic toxicity, poor tumor accuracy, and tumor recurrence. Electrospun nanofibers have emerged to address these concerns. Their high surface area, tunable porosity, and controlled drug release properties enable sustained, site-specific drug release directly to the tumor site while sparing healthy tissues and reducing systemic exposure. The scientific question of the current review is centered on whether the utilization of electrospun nanofibers prevents tumor recurrence after breast cancer surgery. Electrospun nanofiber design determinants, including composition, architecture, creation techniques, and drug-loading strategies, are outlined in the following analysis. Subsequently, it also examines different therapeutic approaches, such as protein- and peptide-loaded fibers, stimuli-responsive nanofibers, natural anticancer compounds, immunomodulators, and combination therapies. Notably, the application of electrospun nanofibers in breast cancer treatment, overcoming tumor microenvironment barriers, and preventing post-surgical recurrence is reported. Finally, limitations associated with clinical translation, such as large-scale production, regulatory approval, sterilization, and long-term efficacy, are also addressed. Collectively, the evidence indicates that electrospun nanofibers show great potential for localized cancer therapy by enabling controlled drug release and reducing systemic exposure, though clinical validation remains the critical unmet step.
Authors
- Eylem Asmatulu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5605-2251)
- Shang‐You Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8835-5302)
- Morgan Paige Bretches (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0040-7866)
- Elmira Sadat Tabatabaei
- Ozge Sagir
- David Long
Institutions
- University of Kansas (US)
- Wichita State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Functional Biomaterials
- Published
- 2026-09-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb17100489
- Primary Topic
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00