Over 90% of cancer-related mortality worldwide is due to metastatic disease since the dynamic tumor microenvironment poses huge challenges in preventing the spread of metastatic cancer. Introducing the advent of advance biomaterials and their swift evolution, this review highlights the great potential of innovative biomaterials to proficiently tackle the metastatic tumor environment. Focusing on four distinct categories of biomaterials systems, action mechanism of biomaterials utilized in anti-tumor therapy is explained in detail: 1. Nanoplatforms sensitive to biochemical cues including pH, redox, and enzymes are known as stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms that react according their environment, 2. Smart nanoplatforms changing their morphology to penetrate impermeable physical barriers at tumor site, 3. Ingenious biomaterial participating in tumor normalization, and 4. Nanoplatforms with real-time theranostic capabilities due to innate feedback-loop mechanism. Ingeniously structured biomaterials with extensive evidence in preclinical efficacy encourage their inclusion in metastatic tumor therapy however, their utilization in medical settings is prevented due to various challenges; impractical manufacturing cost, regulatory and safety issues as well as large-scale production are major challenges restraining their widespread use. A concrete framework is proposed in this review to accelerate the biomaterial structure standardization process, following the GMP and other regulatory guidelines with the aim of implementing biomaterial-based tumor diagnostics and therapies. Since incorporating advancing technologies in tumor therapy such AI-driven, autonomous biomaterial structure or patient-specific tumor models would enable confront the proliferating metastatic tumor cases.

In this review are developed insights from the current research work to develop the concept of functional materials. This is understood as real modified substrates for varied applications. So, functional and modified substrates focused on nanoarchitectures, microcapsules, and devices for new nanotechnologies highlighting life sciences applications were revised. In this context, different types of concepts to proofs of concepts of new materials are shown to develop desired functions. Thus, it was shown that varied chemicals, emitters, pharmacophores, and controlled nano-chemistry were used for the design of nanoplatforms to further increase the sizes of materials. In this regard, the prototyping of materials was discussed, affording how to afford the challenge in the design and fabrication of new materials. Thus, the concept of optical active materials and the generation of a targeted signal through the substrate were developed. Moreover, advanced concepts were introduced, such as the multimodal energy approach by tuning optical coupling from molecules to the nanoscale within complex matter composites. These approaches were based on the confinement of specific optical matter, considering molecular spectroscopics and nano-optics, from where the new concept nominated as metamaterials was generated. In this manner, fundamental and applied research by the design of hierarchical bottom-up materials, controlling molecules towards nanoplatforms and modified substrates, was proposed. Therefore, varied accurate length scales and dimensions were controlled. Finally, it showed proofs of concepts and applications of implantable, portable, and wearable devices from cutting-edge knowledge to the next generation of devices and miniaturized instrumentation.