Frontiers in Oncology · 8 authors, 7 centres
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This narrative review examines paper-based biosensor technologies (dipsticks, lateral flow assays, and microfluidic paper-based devices) for detecting cancer-derived exosomes as point-of-care diagnostic tools. The review concludes that these biosensors offer advantages including short detection times and low cost but face unresolved challenges in stability, specificity, and clinical translation.
This narrative review synthesized published literature on exosome biology and paper-based biosensor technologies for cancer detection at the point of care. The authors covered exosome biogenesis, cargo content, and roles in tumor growth, then evaluated three classes of paper-based biosensors: dipsticks, lateral flow assays (LFAs), and microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs). The review identified key challenges including limited stability of exosome analyses, difficulty distinguishing exosomes from nearly all somatic cells, large sample volume requirements, and difficulties handling clinical samples.
