Colorimetric Paper-Based Sensors against Cancer Biomarkers

Abstract

Cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Detection and quantification of cancer biomarkers plays a critical role in cancer early diagnosis, screening, and treatment. Clinicians, particularly in developing countries, deal with high costs and limited resources for diagnostic systems. Using low-cost substrates to develop sensor devices could be very helpful. The interest in paper-based sensors with colorimetric detection increased exponentially in the last decade as they meet the criteria for point-of-care (PoC) devices. Cellulose and different nanomaterials have been used as substrate and colorimetric probes, respectively, for these types of devices in their different designs as spot tests, lateral-flow assays, dipsticks, and microfluidic paper-based devices (μPADs), offering low-cost and disposable devices. However, the main challenge with these devices is their low sensitivity and lack of efficiency in performing quantitative measurements. This review includes an overview of the use of paper for the development of sensing devices focusing on colorimetric detection and their application to cancer biomarkers. We highlight recent works reporting the use of paper in the development of colorimetric sensors for cancer biomarkers, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and others. Finally, we discuss the main advantages of these types of devices and highlight their major pitfalls.

Paper-based colorimetric sensors for point-of-care testing

“…These probes are designed to hybridize with complementary target sequences, triggering a colorimetric signal. 40,[70][71][72] Nucleic acid probes can be classied into different types based on their design and detection mechanisms:…”

“…Early detection and accurate diagnosis are crucial for successful treatment and improved patient outcomes. In recent years, paper-based colorimetric POCT sensors have emerged as a promising technology for the rapid and sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers, 3,72 as shown in Fig. 11.…”

Paper based microfluidic devices: a review of fabrication techniques and applications

“…The sample in the suggested apparatus was kept on a small piece of paper that had been treated with an acid-base marker before being placed inside a PMMA microchip. It was shown that the SO 2 percentage results taken for 15 industrial food samples using the suggested methodology deviated from the values obtained using a recognized macroscale approach by a maximum of 4.29 percent [92]. Mahmoudi et al [93] designed a colorimetric PAD for rapid and hands-free telomerase activity sensing by utilizing color shift in accordance with enzyme activity.…”

Portable Plasmonic Paper-Based Biosensor for Simple and Rapid Indirect Detection of CEACAM5 Biomarker via Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence

“…The survival rate for a patient is significantly improved when cancer is diagnosed at the earliest stages [ 2 ]. However, common detection methods for cancer biomarkers, such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), remain complex, time-consuming, costly, and require specialized personnel, which, in consequence, limits their use in low-income settings and developing countries, due to lack of economic resources [ 3 , 4 ]. Therefore, point-of-care (PoC) tests are becoming a significant tool that offers the possibility of providing an easy, fast, and cost-effective diagnostic result in a non-laboratory environment [ 5 ].…”