Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology: Emerging applications in cancer imaging and precision medicine

Recent advancements in Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) bioprobes have substantially enhanced their bioimaging capabilities for disease theranostics. This review systematically analyzes three categories of engineered SERS probes: noble metal nanostructures, metal oxide hybrids, and multifunctional composite materials, emphasizing their optimized designs for targeted tumor detection and image-guided surgery. Key developments include improved in vitro biosensing platforms for rapid tumor screening and advanced in vivo probes enabling real-time intraoperative imaging with molecular specificity. The integration of SERS with complementary modalities (fluorescence, photoacoustic, MRI) is critically examined as a strategy to overcome individual technical limitations and achieve multiscale tissue characterization. Technical progress in spatial resolution enhancement, multiplex biomarker detection, and biocompatibility optimization is quantitatively highlighted. Current challenges in signal consistency across biological systems and scalable probe manufacturing are discussed, proposing standardized evaluation frameworks as essential for clinical translation. This work establishes SERS as a multimodal imaging cornerstone for precision oncology, particularly in tumor margin delineation and metastatic lesion identification.