Digital sensing technologies in cancer care: A new era in early detection and personalized diagnosis

Abstract

Digital sensor platforms are systems that integrate sensors with digital technology, which revolutionize data collection, processing, and transmission for enabling real-time, high-precision and automated diagnostics. These platforms often serve as the backbone of modern monitoring systems, enabling real-time data acquisition and analysis for a wide range of applications. Recent advancements in digital sensor platforms have paved the way for transformative innovations in cancer diagnosis. These cutting-edge technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to facilitate early detection, improve diagnostic accuracy, and personalize treatment methods. This review explores the landscape of digital sensor platforms in the context of cancer diagnosis, providing an overview of their principles, functionalities, and clinical applications. The review further illustrates that biosensors, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices and wearable sensors have leveraged on nanotechnology, biorecognition materials and artificial intelligence (AI) for revolutionizing cancer diagnosis. It consolidates the recent advances in digital sensor platforms for cancer diagnosis and the associated critical challenges, such as regulatory concerns, standardization, and ethical considerations. Further, the review summarizes the feasibility for the integration of digital sensor platforms with routine clinical practices for the development of efficient cancer diagnosis and treatment methods.