REVIEW article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Skin Cancer
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1642448
3D-Printed Biopolymer-based Microneedle for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy in Melanoma Therapy
Provisionally accepted
- Laser Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis and resistance to many treatments, especially after metastasis. Developing new preventive and adjuvant therapies is critical for improving melanoma outcomes. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown potential in selectively targeting malignant cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. However, improving the delivery of photosensitizers (PS) to melanoma cells while reducing systemic toxicity remains a challenge. Microneedles, a transcutaneous drug delivery method, offer advantages such as better patient compliance and easier management compared to traditional methods like intramuscular or intravenous injection. Despite these benefits, manufacturing precise microneedles remains a hurdle. Recent research has focused on 3D printing techniques for creating transdermal drug delivery devices, including microneedles. This review summarizes recent advantages in 3D printed biopolymer-based drug delivery systems using microneedles, evaluates their potential, and discusses the challenges and future prospects of 3D printing in transdermal therapy.
Keywords: 3D printing, microneedles, Melanoma, Biopolymers, Photodynamic therapy
Received: 06 Jun 2025; Accepted: 27 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Obalola, Abrahamse and Dhilip Kumar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sathish Sundar Dhilip Kumar, Laser Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.