Application of Metal-Based Nanomaterials in In Vitro Diagnosis of Tumor Markers - Summary and Prospect

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret

Cancer, characterized by high incidence and mortality, remains a major global health threat, while effective approaches for rapid screening and high-quality treatment of early-stage patients are still lacking. Metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs) are promising due to stable properties, convenient synthesis, high efficiency, and limited adverse reactions. Key obstacles include mismatches between detected marker microenvironments and real body fluids. This review summarizes progress on in vitro cancer diagnosis using MNPs and outlines future directions to support early diagnosis and therapy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Challenges in early-stage cancer detection

Nanotechnology advantages in biomedicine

Metal-based nanoparticles and detection mechanisms

Review scope and organization

molecules Review Application of Metal-Based Nanomaterials in In Vitro Diagnosis of Tumor Markers: Summary and Prospect Xiaobo Yang 1,2,3,4, Shaodian Zhang 1,2,3,4 and Nong Lin 1,2,3,4, * Citation: Yang, X.; Zhang, S.; Lin, N. Application of Metal-Based Nanomaterials in In Vitro Diagnosis of Tumor Markers: Summary and Prospect. Molecules 2023, 28, 4370 . [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)molecules28114370 Academic Editor: Mustafa O. Guler Received: 18 April 2023 Revised: 22 May 2023 Accepted: 23 May 2023 Published: 26 May 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Afﬁliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310019, China; [yangxiaobo20@zju.edu.cn](yangxiaobo20@zju.edu.cn) (X.Y.); [12218598@zju.edu.cn](12218598@zju.edu.cn) (S.Z.) 2 Orthopedics Research Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China 3 Key Laboratory of Motor System Disease Research and Precision Therapy of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310009, China 4 Clinical Research Center of Motor System Disease of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310009, China * Correspondence: [linnong@zju.edu.cn](linnong@zju.edu.cn) Abstract: Cancer, which presents with high incidence and mortality rates, has become a signiﬁcant health threat worldwide. However, there is currently no effective solution for rapid screening and high-quality treatment of early-stage cancer patients. Metal-based nanoparticles (MNPs), as a newtype of compound with stable properties, convenient synthesis, high efﬁciency, and few adverse reactions, have become highly competitive tools for early cancer diagnosis. Nevertheless, challenges such as the difference between the microenvironment of detected markers and the real-life body ﬂuids remain in achieving widespread clinical application of MNPs. This review provides a comprehensive review of the research progress made in the ﬁeld of in vitro cancer diagnosis using metal-based nanoparticles. By delving into the characteristics and advantages of these materials, this paper aims to inspire and guide researchers towards fully exploiting the potential of metal-based nanoparticles in the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Keywords: metal-based nanoparticles; cancer; in vitro; early diagnosis 1. Introduction Cancer is a prevalent and lethal disease that constitutes a signiﬁcant public health concern on a global scale. In China, the prevalence and mortality of cancer are higher than most countries in the world, and these data are showing a rapid elevated trend [1–4] . The uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells, often accompanied by inﬁltration and metastasis, contributes signiﬁcantly to the elevated mortality rate [5,6] . The development of early-stage cancer diagnosis and clinical targeted therapy has thus become a focal point of research. Conventional techniques, such as cytological examination, imaging examination, and immunohistochemical examination, are frequently employed for the detection and identiﬁcation of malignant tumors. While imaging technologies such as CT, MRI, and PET-CT can accurately locate the size, shape, and location of tumors, early-stage lesions of certain cancers may be challenging to detect. Moreover, the use of radiation or contrast agents carries inherent risks of toxicity and irradiation. Although cytological examination can detect cell morphology and structure and provide quick diagnosis for certain cancers, it is susceptible to misjudgments of normal cells as cancer cells or vice versa. Immunohistochemical examination, which detects speciﬁc proteins in tissue

FAQs

Why are metal-based nanoparticles considered suitable for early cancer diagnosis in vitro?

They offer stable properties, convenient synthesis, high efficiency, and few adverse reactions. Their surface and local plasma resonance effects support biomarker detection methodologies.

What challenge limits the widespread clinical application of metal-based nanoparticles?

The microenvironment of detected markers can differ from real-life body fluids, complicating translation from research settings to routine clinical use.

Which conventional methods are discussed for tumor detection, and what are their limitations?

Cytological, imaging (CT/MRI/PET-CT), and immunohistochemical examinations are commonly used. Imaging may be difficult for early lesions, cytology can misjudge normal versus cancer cells, and immunohistochemistry often requires invasive sampling with potential risks.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Margaret