Fu Li, Karimi-Maleh Hassan
College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China.
School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, Sichuan Province, China.
World J Clin Oncol. 2024 Mar 24;15(3):360-366. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v15.i3.360.
Electrochemical biosensors have emerged as a promising technology for cancer detection due to their high sensitivity, rapid response, low cost, and capability for non-invasive detection. Recent advances in nanomaterials like nanoparticles, graphene, and nanowires have enhanced sensor performance to allow for cancer biomarker detection, like circulating tumor cells, nucleic acids, proteins and metabolites, at ultra-low concentrations. However, several challenges need to be addressed before electrochemical biosensors can be clinically implemented. These include improving sensor selectivity in complex biological media, device miniaturization for implantable applications, integration with data analytics, handling biomarker variability, and navigating regulatory approval. This editorial critically examines the prospects of electrochemical biosensors for efficient, low-cost and minimally invasive cancer screening. We discuss recent developments in nanotechnology, microfabrication, electronics integration, multiplexing, and machine learning that can help realize the potential of these sensors. However, significant interdisciplinary efforts among researchers, clinicians, regulators and the healthcare industry are still needed to tackle limitations in selectivity, size constraints, data interpretation, biomarker validation, toxicity and commercial translation. With committed resources and pragmatic strategies, electrochemical biosensors could enable routine early cancer detection and dramatically reduce the global cancer burden.
电化学生物传感器因其高灵敏度、快速响应、低成本以及非侵入性检测能力，已成为一种很有前景的癌症检测技术。纳米颗粒、石墨烯和纳米线等纳米材料的最新进展提高了传感器性能，使其能够检测超低浓度的癌症生物标志物，如循环肿瘤细胞、核酸、蛋白质和代谢物。然而，在电化学生物传感器能够临床应用之前，仍有几个挑战需要解决。这些挑战包括提高传感器在复杂生物介质中的选择性、实现可植入应用的设备小型化、与数据分析集成、应对生物标志物的变异性以及获得监管批准。这篇社论批判性地审视了电化学生物传感器用于高效、低成本和微创癌症筛查的前景。我们讨论了纳米技术、微制造、电子集成、多路复用和机器学习方面的最新进展，这些进展有助于实现这些传感器的潜力。然而，研究人员、临床医生、监管机构和医疗行业之间仍需要做出重大的跨学科努力，以解决选择性、尺寸限制、数据解释、生物标志物验证、毒性和商业转化等方面的局限性。通过投入资源和务实的策略，电化学生物传感器可以实现常规的早期癌症检测，并显著减轻全球癌症负担。
