Nayanika Chakraborty
The extracellular matrix (ECM) actively governs drug transport, mechanotransduction, and therapy resistance in solid tumors, yet remains underutilized in precision oncology. This chapter examines how ECM mechanics, porosity, viscoelasticity, topology, and composition regulate therapeutic response, highlighting matrix-informed three-dimensional (3D) models as predictive platforms. Engineered hydrogels, decellularized matrices, spheroids, and bioprinted systems enable patient-relevant interrogation of tumor microenvironments, offering a translational route to improved stratification, drug screening, and personalized cancer therapy.