Advancing cancer diagnosis and therapy: MXene-based biosensing and nanomedicine applications

Prognosis and timely cancer detection can alleviate the disease or improve its medical state. Utilization of nanostructures facilitates rapid cancer diagnosis and efficient therapy. MXenes are two-dimensional materials characterized by exceptional electrical conductivity, superior optical features, mechanical durability, and remarkable optical features. MXenes have diverse applications in nanobiomedicine, including biosensing, drug delivery, cancer therapy, and bioimaging, owing to their superior biocompatibility, large surface area, and favorable physicochemical properties. This paper intends to address essential topics in MXene biosensing domains ranging from MXene special properties to the role of its functionalization and novel sensor applications across various cancers such as gastric, colorectal, colon, breast, pancreatic, oral, ovarian, lung, prostate, acute lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and neuroendocrine malignancies, covering different biomarkers like MUC1, miRNA-122, CEA, HER2, CgA, CYFRA21-1, ALP, PSA, and exosomes as biomarker sources. It is hoped that this article will be useful to scientists in developing and conceptualizing new methods for designing biosensors to take a step towards detecting cancer biomarkers in early stages and subsequent eradication of malignancies.