Chapter 9 - Biosensors for cancer biomarker detection

Abstract

Early diagnosis and regular monitoring are formidable for cancer treatment and survival. In spite of the progress in analytical and characterization technologies, most cancers are usually detected at late stages when the tumor has already metastasized. Therefore strategies for nascent stage clinical diagnosis of cancer are crucial. Tumor development and growth result in the synthesis of a variety of biomolecules that facilitate the definition of cancer at a molecular level. Biosensors can be tailored to provide responses in the presence of such biomarkers for a variety of concentrations in complex media such as serum, urine, tears, etc. Furthermore, such biosensors can also be used to track the efficacy of anticancer drugs on the target sites to aid the selection of a case-specific treatment regime. Modern biosensors display considerably higher selectivity, sensitivity, and specificity than conventional biomolecular assays in a short time. Their operation is more facile allowing efficient imaging and monitoring of cancerous cells, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis as well as metastasis. This chapter will discuss the relevance of cancer biomarkers as well as the principle, development, and performance of modern biosensors.