Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Biomaterials and Drug Delivery Systems for Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex and dynamic network comprising cancer cells, surrounding non-cancerous cells, and a host of biochemical substances. Due to their abnormal proliferation rates and metabolic behaviors, tumor cells consume a large amount of oxygen within the tumor tissue and release a significant amount of proteases and cytokines. Consequently, the TME is generally characterized by its acidity, high concentrations of reactive oxygen species and glutathione, high levels of enzymes, severe hypoxia, and immunosuppression. These characteristics of the TME, in turn, affect the tumor cells, leading to metabolic abnormalities. Additionally, tumor tissue has a dense structure and high osmotic pressure, which are disadvantageous for the penetration of diagnostic and therapeutic materials. Therefore, a deep understanding of the characteristics of the TME is beneficial for distinguishing between tumor and normal tissue to the greatest extent possible, thereby improving the accuracy of tumor diagnosis and treatment.

The unique biochemical characteristics of the TME also provide new opportunities for the development of low-toxicity, high-efficiency, and specific tumor diagnosis and treatment. The reported TME-responsive systems primarily rely on the tumor region's special environmental features, such as hypoxia, acidity, ROS, GSH, ATP, and specific enzymes. Rationally designed TME-responsive biomaterials and drug delivery systems can effectively enhance the efficiency of material enrichment in tumors, reduce toxic side effects, and increase the precision and specificity of tumor treatment.

Enhancing and restoring the TME can effectively reestablish local cellular equilibrium, inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, recurrence, and spread, thereby serving as a potent strategy to boost the efficacy of tumor therapies. It is of great scientific significance to monitor the TME alterations post-treatment, explore the mechanisms of the restoring TME during treatment, and understanding the relationships between TME and tumor progression. Therefore, the goal of the Research Topic is to achieve accurate tumor diagnosis and treatment by constructing tumor microenvironment responsive biomaterials and drug delivery systems

We welcome submissions of the following article types: Mini Review, Original Research, Perspective, and Review. The scope of this Research Topic may include, but is not limited to the following themes:

• Relationships between TME and tumor progression

• TME related to immunity, inflammation, pH.

• Detection of TME

• Regulation of TME

• Drug delivery systems in response to TME

• Tumor-targeting biomaterials based on TME

• Tumor therapies in response to TME

Keywords: Tumor microenvironment; Tumor therapies; Drug delivery; Tumor targeting; Drug release

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.