Curcumin-releasing oxidized konjac/GelMA hydrogel for ROS-mediated suppression of postoperative prostate cancer recurrence and metastasis

Postoperative recurrence remains a major challenge in prostate cancer (PCa) treatment, and insufficient drug concentration at the tumor site represents a critical barrier to effectively suppressing tumor regrowth and lymph node metastasis. To address these limitations, we developed a photo-crosslinkable oxidized konjac glucomannan/gelatin-methacrylate hydrogel (OG@Cur) for localized and sustained delivery of curcumin (Cur) during the postoperative period. This hydrogel forms a porous and adhesive network that enables prolonged curcumin release during biodegradation while simultaneously facilitating hemostasis. Cur released from the hydrogel maintained a high local concentration at the surgical site, thereby enhancing antitumor activity through the induction of intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation. In a postoperative PCa recurrence model, this localized and sustained delivery strategy significantly suppressed tumor regrowth and reduced lymph node metastasis, while exhibiting good biocompatibility. Overall, this hydrogel system, which continuously releases curcumin, provides an effective localized therapeutic approach for preventing postoperative prostate cancer recurrence and may offer advantages over conventional systemic therapies.