Research progress of surface-enhanced Raman scattering technology in tumor liquid biopsy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Oncology

Background:

• Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) provides high sensitivity and specificity for biological molecule detection.
• There is a growing need for early tumor detection and personalized medicine approaches.
• Liquid biopsy offers a minimally invasive method for accessing tumor-derived biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in SERS for detecting key liquid biopsy biomarkers.
• To analyze the advantages of SERS in sensitivity and multiplexed detection of cancer markers.
• To discuss challenges and future perspectives for clinical translation of SERS in oncology.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of recent literature on SERS applications in liquid biopsy.
• Analysis of SERS performance for detecting exosomes, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and cell-free DNA (ctDNA).
• Evaluation of SERS advantages, including sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing capabilities.

Main Results:

• SERS demonstrates significant potential for detecting tumor markers like exosomes, CTCs, and ctDNA in liquid biopsies.
• SERS offers superior sensitivity and the ability for multiplexed detection of multiple biomarkers simultaneously.
• Key challenges include managing signal interference in complex biological matrices and enhancing quantitative accuracy.

Conclusions:

• SERS is a promising technology for early tumor diagnosis and precision oncology via liquid biopsy.
• Overcoming challenges in complex environments and quantification is crucial for clinical adoption.
• Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and multimodal strategies will advance SERS for precision cancer care.