Advancements and innovations in liquid biopsy through microfluidic technology for cancer diagnosis

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with approximately 10 million deaths and almost 20 million cases diagnosed in 2022. Various diagnostic methods for cancer, including physical examination, lab tests, imaging, and biopsy (tissue or liquid), are available in clinical settings. Liquid biopsy earned considerable attention due to its minimal invasiveness, patient convenience, and rapidness. Liquid biopsy is experiencing a significant transformation owing to the incorporation of microfluidic technologies. Microfluidic technologies allow for real-time observations and precise, sensitive, and efficient results in early cancer diagnosis through the identification of various biomarkers using body fluids at the microscale. This review highlights the transition from conventional cancer diagnostic methods to critically analyzing innovations and the integration of modern microfluidic technologies, presenting their influence in improving cancer diagnosis. This review highlights the significance of identifying exosomes and their biological components, such as micro RNAs, circular RNA, and mRNA, via microfluidics as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. It also highlights the integration of microfluidics with advanced technologies, such as CRISPR gene editing, organ-on-a-chip models, 3D bioprinting, and nanotechnology, for cancer diagnosis. Moreover, integrating artificial intelligence into microfluidic systems has significantly transformed research related to cancer diagnosis. This advancement enables more precise diagnosis and personalized treatment strategies using the large available data on networks along with algorithmic approaches. Collectively, microfluidics and their integration into advanced technologies have shown the potential for progress in early cancer diagnosis and the customization of treatment approaches, such as immunotherapy, in the future.