Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women. Cisplatin is one the most potent chemotherapeutic drugs we know in breast cancer, but its systemic toxicity limits its clinical application. Hydrogels are a local drug delivery system that limits the systemic toxicity of drugs and improves their efficacy. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the preclinical efficacy of cisplatin-loaded hydrogels for breast cancer treatment. METHODS: We had a systematic search on different databases, including PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science, to find relative papers. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in cell viability between the cisplatin-loaded hydrogel and free cisplatin groups. However, the IC50 values were significantly higher in the treatment group, which means the cytotoxicity was reduced in the cisplatin-loaded hydrogel; then, we subgrouped them based on cell line and treatment duration; no significant difference was observed between the subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis evaluated cisplatin-loaded hydrogels versus free cisplatin in breast cancer treatment. Contrary to expectations, no significant difference in cell viability was found, indicating hydrogels did not enhance therapeutic efficacy. However, a significantly higher IC50 with hydrogels suggests reduced instantaneous drug concentration due to sustained release. PROSPERO: CRD42025641451.