Abstract
BACKGROUND: Microsphere-based technologies have increasingly gained attention as adaptable and multifunctional tools in breast cancer research and clinical care. Traditional approaches, including two‑dimensional cell cultures, systemic drug delivery, and broad diagnostic methods, often fail to accurately mimic tumor behavior or deliver therapeutics efficiently. Microspheres, with their customizable size, composition, mechanical characteristics, and surface chemistry, offer a platform that can overcome many of these limitations. Their ability to modulate cell–material interactions and control local drug release positions them as valuable components in modern cancer modeling, diagnosis, and therapy. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this review is to synthesize current advancements in microsphere technologies as they apply to breast cancer. The review seeks to evaluate how microsphere-based systems contribute to improved tumor modeling, enhanced diagnostic accuracy, and more effective therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it identifies existing challenges and defines future directions needed to translate these technologies into routine clinical use. METHODS: This review explores microsphere technologies in breast cancer research and clinical applications. It highlights their roles in three‑dimensional tumor modeling, advanced diagnostic platforms integrating imaging, electrochemical sensors, and microfluidics, and controlled drug delivery systems for chemotherapeutic and endocrine therapies. The review also discusses stimuli‑responsive microspheres enabling targeted release and clinical uses such as transarterial chemoembolization and yttrium‑90 radioembolization. Evidence from experimental, preclinical, and clinical studies is synthesized to evaluate current progress and future potential. RESULTS: Findings indicate that microsphere-enabled three‑dimensional tumor culture systems better replicate key hallmarks of breast cancer biology compared to traditional two‑dimensional platforms. These 3D systems capture tumor architecture, mechanobiology, metabolic diversity, and drug resistance behavior more accurately, improving the predictive value of drug screening. Diagnostic innovations demonstrate that functionalized microspheres significantly enhance analytical sensitivity, allow dynamic monitoring of tumor biomarkers, and improve cell tracking capabilities across imaging and sensor-based platforms. Therapeutic applications show that microspheres provide sustained and localized drug delivery, reducing systemic toxicity and enhancing treatment efficacy. Stimuli-responsive microspheres allow precisely targeted and temporally coordinated release, enabling more personalized and adaptive treatment strategies. CONCLUSION: Microsphere-based technologies represent a powerful and multifaceted toolkit for advancing breast cancer research, diagnosis, and therapy. Their versatility enables improved disease modeling, more sensitive and real-time diagnostics, and effective localized treatment strategies. Despite substantial progress, persistent challenges, such as standardization, biological complexity, reproducibility, scalability, and integration into routine clinical workflows, continue to hinder widespread adoption.