Treatment activity of mitomycin-loaded hydrogels on lung cancer by inhibiting the proliferation of the cancer cells

Lung cancer is currently the most common malignant tumor and most lethal cancer worldwide, posing a serious threat to human life and health. Mitomycin has been widely used in the clinical treatment of malignant tumors owing to its strong antitumor effects. In this study, hyaluronic acid/carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogels loaded with mitomycin were prepared by chemical synthesis. The SEM results showed that the hydrogels had a 3D interoperable porous structure, which facilitates drug loading. Biological experiments showed that the mitomycin-loaded hydrogels remarkably reduced the viability of cancer cells and inhibited the activation of the VEGF signaling pathway in cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, the hydrogels are expected to be used as a drug carrier material for lung cancer treatment.