Analytical Techniques in Label-Free Detection of Cancer Diagnosis

The analysis of recognized biomarkers associated with certain diseases typically occurs in centralized laboratories, leading to considerable delays and elevated expenses. This is particularly concerning for cancer, which continues to be a major global public health issue with high mortality rates. In response, oncological biomarker screening assays have garnered considerable interest as a cost-effective tool for real-time diagnosis, particularly for early detection applications. To address these challenges, the miniaturization of sensor devices has facilitated improved integration with monitoring systems. Label-free biosensors have recently gained popularity as an alternative for quantifying biomolecules owing to their notable advantages, including high sensitivity, rapid analysis, ease of use, minimal handling, simple pretreatment, and low cost. This study provides a thorough assessment of label-free biosensing platforms for cancer biomarkers based on the promising results reported in scientific literature. It emphasizes the application of various materials for each sensor and contrasts existing challenges, providing insights for future investigations into label-free sensing.