The enervating side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs have necessitated the use of targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy. To that end, thermoresponsive hydrogels have been employed to improve the accumulation and maintenance of drug release at the tumour site. Despite their efficiency, very few thermoresponsive hydrogel-based drugs have undergone clinical trials, and even fewer have received FDA approval for cancer treatment. This review discusses the challenges of designing thermoresponsive hydrogels for cancer treatment and offers suggestions for these challenges as available in the literature. Furthermore, the argument for drug accumulation is challenged by the revelation of structural and functional barriers in tumours that may not support targeted drug release from hydrogels. Other highlights involve the demanding preparation process of thermoresponsive hydrogels, which often involves poor drug loading and difficulties in controlling the lower critical solution temperature and gelation kinetics. Additionally, the shortcomings in the administration process of thermosensitive hydrogels are examined, and special insight into the injectable thermosensitive hydrogels that reached clinical trials for cancer treatment is provided.

The liquid and solid formulations of self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) have garnered significant attention in the pharmaceutical field for their ability to enhance the solubility and absorption of hydrophobic drugs. While both liquid and solid SNEDDS result in improved bioavailability; portability, patient compliance, desired administration route, and ease of preparation are some factors that contribute to the decision-making of the final SNEDDS dosage form. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of SNEDDS formulations in the liquid and solid state, including production and performance factors that researchers ought to consider when developing their final dosage form. We investigate excipient characteristics, stability concerns, liquid-to-solid preparation methods and their challenges, and in vivo and in vitro comparisons of both dosage forms. Finally, we explore the potential of artificial intelligence in the design of SNEDDS formulations. Graphical Abstract