Advances in Breast Cancer Detection: Biomarkers, Mechanisms, and Biosensor Technologies

Breast cancer (BC), the most common cancer in women, remains a global health concern. According to the World Health Organization, in the year 2022, BC caused around 6,70,000 deaths. This huge mortality number requires immediate attention and intervention in the form of early diagnosis and therapies. Existing conventional diagnostic techniques for BC include imaging techniques like MRI and ultrasound; biopsies and molecular testing for screening BC genes and biomarkers. However, these techniques have drawbacks including less sensitivity and specificity, highly invasive, radiation exposure, long response time, and are cumbersome and expensive. These drawbacks are overcome by biosensing technology by exhibiting various advantages like high specificity and sensitivity, less invasive, no exposure to radiation, portable, cost effective with multiplexing capabilities; Also, biosensor can detect different biomarkers related to BC in very low concentration, thus, enabling the early detection and preventing the spread of disease. This comprehensive review paper aims to provide an overview of BC, the role of different signaling pathways, and different types of biomarkers associated with it. Additionally, it explores biosensors, an advanced tool for detection of BC biomarkers detailing various types such as optical, electrochemical, microfluidic chips along with their performance evaluations. By examining the current status of research and the implications of these advancements on early detection, prognosis, and customized treatment strategies, we hope that this review will offer new perspectives for patients with BC.