Dual smart monitoring and predictive non-destructive evaluation: A review of advanced hydrogel and stem cell-based strategies for oral cancer theragnostic applications.
Authors
Affiliations (13)
Affiliations (13)
- Oral and Dental Disease Research Center, Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
- Prosthodontist, Private Dental Practice, Shiraz, Iran.
- Department of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
- Student Research Committee, School of Dentistry, Shiraz University of Medical sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University, Guzelyurt, Cyprus.
- General Dentist, Private Dental Practice, Shiraz, Iran.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada; Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), National Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HiCoE), Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada.
- Nanotechnology and Catalysis Research Centre (NANOCAT), National Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HiCoE), Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: [email protected].
- Ph.D. Program in Drug Discovery and Development Industry, School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031 Taiwan. Electronic address: [email protected].
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Electronic address: [email protected].
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract
Oral cancer remains one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide, with high recurrence and limited treatment outcomes due to late diagnosis and ineffective targeting of tumor microenvironments. Stem cell-based hydrogel therapies have emerged as a transformative platform, offering enhanced biocompatibility, controlled drug release, and tissue-specific differentiation. However, their clinical translation faces critical barriers, particularly in scaffold integration, cell viability, and long-term functional recovery. To address these challenges, smart monitoring and predictive nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies have been introduced, representing a major shift toward personalized cancer therapy. These tools enable real-time and noninvasive assessment of therapeutic progress using responsive nanomaterials and multimodal imaging techniques. Photoacoustic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and fluorescence analysis are combined with biosensing to monitor hydrogel degradation, cellular behavior, and microenvironmental changes. Predictive NDE supports early detection of therapeutic failure or relapse by analyzing spatiotemporal data using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This review outlines a closed-loop feedback system that dynamically adapts treatment to improve precision and efficacy while minimizing side effects. Moreover, combining smart materials with stimuli-responsive hydrogels allows on-demand drug delivery in response to tumor-specific cues, such as pH, enzyme concentration, or hypoxia. This multidisciplinary approach shows great promise for overcoming current limitations in oral cancer treatment. It ensures accurate, adaptive, and minimally invasive therapeutic interventions and advances the clinical translation of next-generation oral cancer therapeutics.