Creatine kinase in prostate cancer: A biosensor-driven diagnostic paradigm

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Diagnostics

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PC) is a significant global health concern.
• Brain-type creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) is overexpressed in PC and linked to tumor progression.
• Current CK-BB assays lack clinical sensitivity and speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in CK-BB-targeted biosensor platforms.
• To evaluate the potential of these biosensors for sensitive and rapid PC detection.
• To discuss challenges and future directions for clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• Review of electrochemical, optical, and emerging biosensor formats (paper-based, wearable, microfluidic).
• Integration of nanomaterials (graphene, gold nanoparticles, quantum dots) for enhanced detection.
• Exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) for automated CK-BB profiling.

Main Results:

• Nanomaterial-enhanced sensors achieve picogram-per-milliliter detection limits for CK-BB.
• Biosensors offer significantly faster assay times (minutes vs. hours) compared to immunoassays.
• Demonstrated >85% accuracy in discriminating malignant from benign prostatic conditions in small cohorts.

Conclusions:

• CK-BB biosensors show promise as an adjunct to PSA testing for PC.
• Standardization, validation in diverse populations, and addressing manufacturing hurdles are crucial for clinical adoption.
• Future directions include multiplexed panels and AI for enhanced diagnostic precision and personalized management.