Noninvasive and Low-Cost Technique for Early Detection of Clinically Relevant Breast Lesions Using a Handheld Point-of-Care Medical Device (iBreastExam): Prospective Three-Arm Triple-Blinded Comparative Study

AbstractLabel-free optical biosensors have received tremendous attention in point-of-care testing, especially in the emerging pandemic, COVID-19, since they advance toward early-detection, rapid, real-time, ease-of-use, and low-cost paradigms. Protein biomarkers testings require less sample modification process compared to nucleic-acid biomarkers’. However, challenges always are in detecting low-concentration for early-stage diagnosis. Here we present a Rotationally Focused Flow (RFF) method to enhance sensitivity(wavelength shift) of label-free optical sensors by increasing the detection probability of protein-based molecules. The RFF is structured by adding a less-dense fluid to focus the target-fluid in a T-shaped microchannel. It is integrated with label-free silicon microring resonators interacting with biotin-streptavidin. The suggested mechanism has demonstrated 0.19 fM concentration detection along with a significant magnitudes sensitivity enhancement compared to single flow methods. Verified by both CFD simulations and fluorescent flow-experiments, this study provides a promising proof-of-concept platform for next-generation lab-on-a-chip bioanalytics such as ultrafast and early-detection of COVID-19.

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Current Point-of-Care testing in cancer and future perspectives: a systematic review

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa040.033 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M Rodrigues ◽

I Andrade ◽

R Cruz

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Early Detection ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Low Cost ◽

Rapid Test ◽

Point Of Care Testing ◽

Screening Programs ◽

Low Resource ◽

Resource Limited ◽

Prevalent Disease

Abstract Introduction Cancer is the most prevalent disease worldwide, causing a major impact on society. Early detection and monitorization of the tumour can provide a more effective treatment. Point-of-care (POC) testing allows the patient to have a handheld test that gives the results rapidly. No expertise or special knowledge is required which is vital namely when carried out in low-resource areas. Recent studies analysed established and emerging biomarkers and how to incorporate them into POC devices, but a systematic review reporting the existing POC platforms for cancer is still not available. Objectives This systematic review aims to report current and recent advances for point-of-care testing in cancer. Methodology A literature review was conducted through research in the databases “PubMed” and “B-On” for relevant reviews published in the last ten years, using the keywords “Point-of-care testing” AND “Cancer” AND “Rapid Test” AND “Cancer detection”. Results In 2015 there were eight commercially available POC tests for prostate, bladder, colorectal, cervical, HPV-causing head and neck cancer, liver, breast and lung cancer. After 2018 a small number of POC devices were tested in screening programs and multicentric studies, and more recently, promising novel POC prototypes for early detection of cancer, namely a 3D prototype micro device for multiple singleplex RNA expression analysis in liver cancer and a POC microscopy prototype for digital diagnostics of breast cancer lymph node metastases, with potential to be used in resource-limited settings. Conclusion The use of POC testing can deliver accurate, fast results, and in the case of cancer it is no exception, contributing to the progression of treatment and reduction in cancer-related deaths. In low-resource settings a POC test is fundamental and it should be simple and low-cost. But there are limitations in the tests which is a challenge for improvement and investigation in the future.

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