Injectable Biomaterial Scaffolds for Post-Prostate Cancer Tissue Regeneration: Current Strategies and Future Perspectives
A. D. Ozieme *
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria.
A. A. Adeleye
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
O. O. Ajide
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Prostate cancer treatments such as radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy, and androgen deprivation therapy can cause tissue loss, fibrosis, vascular injury, and functional complications, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Conventional repair strategies provide limited structural restoration and rarely re-establish the complex stromal, epithelial, vascular, and neural microenvironment required for durable recovery. This review examines injectable biomaterial scaffolds as minimally invasive platforms for post-prostate cancer tissue regeneration. Injectable scaffolds can conform to irregular defects, solidify in situ, mimic extracellular matrix architecture, support cell adhesion and proliferation, and enable localised delivery of growth factors, cells, exosomes, or therapeutic agents. Natural biomaterials, including chitosan, collagen, hyaluronic acid, alginate, gelatin, and gelatin methacryloyl, are discussed alongside synthetic systems such as poly(ethylene glycol), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, self-assembling peptides, and thermo-responsive hydrogels. Advanced approaches, including nanocomposite scaffolds, 4D bioprinted hydrogels, cell-laden constructs, exosome-enriched matrices, growth factor-loaded platforms, and smart hydrogels, are also considered. The review further evaluates fabrication methods, delivery routes, biological responses, safety requirements, and translational constraints relevant to damaged prostate and periurethral tissues. Overall, injectable scaffolds offer a promising route for reconstructing supportive regenerative niches after prostate cancer treatment, although clinical translation requires careful optimisation of biocompatibility, degradation behaviour, mechanical performance, immune response, functional integration, and oncological safety.
Keywords: Injectable scaffolds, prostate cancer, tissue regeneration, biomaterials, hydrogels, extracellular matrix, angiogenesis, fibrosis, neurovascular repair, regenerative medicine