High-grade gliomas are among the most aggressive brain tumors, with a poor prognosis even after surgical removal. Standard chemoradiotherapy only modestly improves survival, while infiltrative residual tumor cells often regrow during the vulnerable period between surgery and radiotherapy. This creates a crucial treatment gap where systemic chemotherapy is ineffective. Now, a novel gel addresses these limitations by targeting residual tumor tissue immediately after surgery.

Researchers at National Taiwan University (Taipei City, Taiwan) have developed a time-released composite gel that can be injected directly into the surgical cavity following tumor resection. The gel is engineered to provide sustained local delivery of platinum-based anticancer agents, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while reducing systemic side effects. Its tissue adhesive properties allow it to adapt to the surgical cavity and deliver drugs effectively to infiltrative glioma cells.

The gel employs a sequential delivery system to maximize its impact. First, carboplatin is released immediately after surgery to suppress residual glioma cells. Then, platinum-doped calcium carbonate (CaCO₃:Pt) particles provide a delayed release through intracellular endocytosis, maintaining drug activity over time. This sequential mechanism ensures continued tumor suppression until radiotherapy begins.

In laboratory studies using orthotopic brain tumor models, the gel induced significant apoptosis by causing DNA double-strand breaks, the hallmark of anticancer action. When combined with radiotherapy, it significantly reduced tumor relapse compared to standard approaches.

One of the most promising outcomes is the gel’s ability to lower the radiation dose required for effective treatment. By improving tumor sensitivity to radiation, the gel enables safer treatment regimens with fewer side effects. This combined therapy enhances the effectiveness of radiotherapy while maintaining a focus on patient safety.

Going forward, the research team aims to refine the approach further, exploring integration with surgical oncology practices. They plan to investigate broader applications in glioma management and assess the potential for clinical translation. Their work, published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, highlights a major advance in bridging the treatment gap after surgery and before radiotherapy.

“Our findings show that the postoperatively injected gel, designed for sequential delivery of platinum-based agents, can significantly enhance radiotherapy outcomes and effectively reduce the risk of high-grade glioma relapse,” said Prof. Feng-Huei Lin, principal investigator of the study.

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