Breakthrough in Cancer Biomarker Detection: New Electrode Reduces Diagnosis Time

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology have made a significant breakthrough in cancer biomarker detection, developing a new electrode that can efficiently detect cancer-related cells early, thereby reducing the excessive mortality rate due to delayed diagnosis. The electrode, fabricated using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and hydrothermally grown zinc oxide nanorod (ZnO NR)-based heterostructure, has shown excellent selectivity, repeatability, and reproducibility in detecting sarcosine, a promising prostate cancer biomarker.

Key Takeaways:

  • The electrode has a linear range of 0.3-62.4 mM and sensitivity of 899.89 mA/mMcm2 in the lower concentration regime.
  • The limit of detection (LOD) is 0.131 mM, and the electrode shows a short response time of 4.1 s on average for the detection of Sar.
  • The electrode has excellent selectivity towards Sar, with a reduction in current response to 2.51% of the initial current response after 30 days of storage at room temperature.
  • The fabricated heterostructure has been characterized using XRD, XPS, FESEM, and TEM analysis to determine the phase structure, chemical state of elements, surface morphology, and microstructure, respectively.
  • The electrode was utilized to detect the Sar concentration in actual samples like blood serum and urine, resembling the commercially available detection technique.
  • The researchers used a sustainable manufacturing technique, high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), to fabricate the nickel nitride (Ni3N) films.
  • The study has implications for the development of non-enzymatic electrochemical detection of cancer biomarkers.

Statistics:

  • Linear range: 0.3-62.4 mM
  • Sensitivity: 899.89 mA/mMcm2
  • Limit of detection (LOD): 0.131 mM
  • Response time: 4.1 s on average
  • Current response reduction: 2.51% after 30 days of storage

Sources:

  • Amperometric sensing of prostate cancer biomarker (Sarcosine) using HiPIMS deposited nickel nitride films-decorated zinc oxide nanorod heterostructures. Applied Surface Science Advances, 2025,27():100741. (doi.org/10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100741)
  • National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Researchers Release New Study Findings on Cancer Biomarkers [Amperometric sensing of prostate cancer biomarker (Sarcosine) using HiPIMS deposited nickel nitride films-decorated zinc oxide ...]. Health & Medicine Week. June 27, 2025; p 2130.