Early detection of tumour-associated antigens: Assessment of pointof- care electrochemical immunoassays

The development of highly sensitive and selective platforms for cancer biomarkers detection plays a crucial for early diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and subsequent cancer treatment. Among various types of biomarkers, tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) that are expressed via tumours, are targeted for early detection in point-of-care (POC) locations. In this review, a brief introduction of the most important TAAs and their application in the recognition of different types and stages of cancer will be passed into, along with a detailed assessment of electrochemical bio/immunosensors designed for TAA detection in POC environments. The detection of small fragments of TAAs such as the tumourassociated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs) may provide a rapid, accurate and cost-effective tool to complete the clinical picture. Multiplexing capabilities, signal amplification strategies and ultimately, the feasibility of organiceinorganic hetero-nano-interfaces -based bio/immunosensors for POC applications will be critically discussed.