Raman Spectroscopic Signatures of Hepatic Carcinoma - Progress and Future Prospect

Sep 22, 2026

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Liver cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, driven largely by late diagnosis and the limited availability of reliable biomarkers for early detection. Raman spectroscopy offers rapid, label-free, non-destructive molecular profiling for identifying liver cancer, enabling discrimination between malignant and nonmalignant states through small biochemical changes in biofluids and liver tissue. Chemometric advances, including machine learning and multivariate statistics, improve diagnostic sensitivity and specificity across studies. Complementary approaches such as SERS and ROA further expand clinical potential.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Current screening methods for liver cancer

Limitations of imaging and serum biomarkers

Raman spectroscopy and SERS for early detection

Raman spectrum fingerprinting and molecular probing

Review Raman Spectroscopic Signatures of Hepatic Carcinoma: Progress and Future Prospect Mina Kolahdouzmohammadi 1,2, Erfaneh Shaygannia 3, Kevan Wu 4, Nicholas Tjandra 5, Raha Nikoumaram 6, Nazir P. Kherani 3,7,* and Graziano Oldani 1,2, * 1 Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada 2 BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada 3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G4, Canada 4 Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada 5 Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada 6 Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; [rnikouma@student.ubc.ca](rnikouma@student.ubc.ca) 7 Department of Material Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3E4, Canada * [Correspondence: nazir.kherani@utoronto.ca](Correspondence: nazir.kherani@utoronto.ca) (N.P.K.); [graziano.oldani@vch.ca](graziano.oldani@vch.ca) (G.O.) Abstract Liver cancer continues to be a predominant cause of cancer-related mortality globally, primarily attributable to late diagnosis and a scarcity of dependable biomarkers for early identification. Raman spectroscopy has emerged as a valuable analytical instrument for liver cancer detection, providing rapid, label-free, and non-destructive molecular profiling of biological specimens. Raman-based methodologies can discern malignant from nonmalignant conditions by analyzing small biochemical alterations in biofluids, including blood, urine, and exosomes, as well as in liver tissue, yielding unique spectrum fingerprints. Progress in chemometric analysis, including machine learning models and multivariate statistical methods, has significantly improved the diagnostic precision of Raman spectroscopy, attaining elevated sensitivity and specificity across numerous studies. Furthermore, the integration of complementary techniques, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and Raman optical activity (ROA) has broadened its prospects for clinical application. This review article elucidates the contemporary applications of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis of liver cancer, presents pivotal findings across various sample types, and examines the challenges and future prospects of building Raman-based platforms as dependable diagnostic instruments in oncology. Academic Editor: Giovanni Tarantino Received: 28 January 2026 Revised: 13 February 2026 Accepted: 18 February 2026 Published: 20 February 2026 Copyright: © 2026 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. Keywords: Raman spectroscopy; liver cancer; hepatocellular carcinoma; biomarkers 1. Introduction Liver cancer rates rank sixth among all cancers globally, and is the third major cause of cancer-related mortality [1] . Early-stage liver cancer treatment can ensure a favorable prognosis and comparatively greater survival rate. Late diagnosis, on the other hand, leads to a poor prognosis where the survival rate is relatively low. Absence of nerves in the liver leads to mainly asymptomatic cancer during the early stages [2] . Currently, there are two prevalent screening methods for liver cancer: imaging and serological biomarker assessments [3] . Current imaging modalities comprise ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography (Figure 1) [3] . Figure 1. Current Imaging-Based Methods for Liver Cancer Diagnosis (Created in [https://BioRender.com](https://BioRender.com)). However, these methods possess numerous drawbacks. Sensitivity of ultrasound imaging is highly variable, contingent upon the operator’s expertise and precision of the equipment. Computed tomography and magnetic resona

FAQs

Why is early detection of liver cancer difficult?

Early detection is hindered by late diagnosis and the lack of dependable biomarkers, while imaging methods and existing serum biomarkers often have limited sensitivity and specificity for small or early-stage disease.

How does Raman spectroscopy support liver cancer diagnosis?

Raman spectroscopy provides rapid, label-free, non-destructive molecular profiling by analyzing biochemical changes reflected in Raman spectrum “fingerprints,” allowing malignant and nonmalignant conditions to be distinguished.

What roles do SERS and ROA play in clinical prospects?

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) amplifies weak Raman signals using nanostructured metallic substrates, and Raman optical activity (ROA) is discussed as a complementary technique that broadens opportunities for clinical application.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Rowan