肝细胞癌占原发性肝癌的80%，是最常见的原发性肝癌。肝细胞癌是全球肿瘤相关死亡的第三大原因，其 5 年生存率约为 18%。化疗虽然常用于肝细胞癌的治疗，但受到全身毒性和耐药性的限制。改善化疗药物向肿瘤细胞的靶向递送而不引起全身副作用是当前的研究热点。壳聚糖是一种源自甲壳素的生物聚合物，具有良好的生物相容性和生物降解性，适合用于药物输送。增强的壳聚糖制剂保留了抗肿瘤特性，同时提高了稳定性。基于壳聚糖的生物材料可促进肝细胞癌凋亡、抗氧化和抗炎作用、抑制肿瘤血管生成、改善细胞外基质重塑以增强抗肿瘤治疗。我们通过查询总结已发表的实验论文。本文对壳聚糖的理化性质进行了综述、其在肝细胞癌治疗中的应用，以及基于壳聚糖的生物材料面临的挑战。版权所有 © 2024 Wang、Yang、Zhao、Wu、Li 和 Zhao。

Hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for 80% of primary liver cancers, is the most common primary liver malignancy. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third leading cause of tumor-related deaths worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 18%. Chemotherapy, although commonly used for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, is limited by systemic toxicity and drug resistance. Improving targeted delivery of chemotherapy drugs to tumor cells without causing systemic side effects is a current research focus. Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from chitin, possesses good biocompatibility and biodegradability, making it suitable for drug delivery. Enhanced chitosan formulations retain the anti-tumor properties while improving stability. Chitosan-based biomaterials promote hepatocellular carcinoma apoptosis, exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, inhibit tumor angiogenesis, and improve extracellular matrix remodeling for enhanced anti-tumor therapy.We summarized published experimental papers by querying them.This review discusses the physicochemical properties of chitosan, its application in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, and the challenges faced by chitosan-based biomaterials.Copyright © 2024 Wang, Yang, Zhao, Wu, Li and Zhao.