Love wave based portable sensing system for on-line detection of carcinoembryonic antigen in exhaled breath condensate.

Lung cancer is continuously the leading cause of cancer related death. Noninvasive exhaled breath condensate (EBC) detection using portable devices may pave a new avenue for monitoring conditions of the high-risk population of lung cancer, thereby increasing the 5-year survival rate. Here, a portable system is proposed for on-line detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in EBC. This miniaturized system employs an aptameric Love-wave sensor to provide a detection with advantages of low cost, operational simplicity and high sensitivity. In addition, the aptasensor can be used in label-free and real-time monitoring. Integrating with measurement circuits and iOS APP, the system realizes online transmission and processing of signals which reflect the CEA concentration. Artificial samples have been detected, and experimental results demonstrate that the present system is sensitive (limit of detection = 1 ng/ml) and accurate (relative accuracy = 0.995). Applying in detection of clinical EBC, the relative error is as low as 0.305% and the result can be used to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy subjects. Therefore, this portable system offers a potential solution for noninvasive detection of lung cancer in its early stage.

A point-of-care testing system with Love-wave sensor and immunogold staining enhancement for early detection of lung cancer.

It has been reported that detection of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is available for studies of pulmonary diseases, especially lung disease. In order to detect lung cancer (LC) at early stage, a point-of-care testing system suitable for measurement of tumor markers in EBC is developed. The assay, based on gold nanoparticle sandwich immunoassay and subsequent gold staining, was performed on a Love-wave sensor packaged inside a chip cartridge. Benefit from high sensitivity of Love-wave sensor, oriented immobilization of coating antibodies and immunogold staining enhancement, the present immunosensor could provide a sensitive, specific and rapid measurement. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), neuron specific enolase (NSE) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) in EBC collected from 17 patients with LC and 13 healthy volunteers were detected by this system. Results were compared with commercial chemiluminescence immunoassay and showed high correlation between two methods. Additionally, it revealed significantly statistical differences existing between two groups of subjects. These results indicate that the present system is suitable for detection of tumor markers in EBC and could be used as assistant tools for early detection of LC.