Abstract

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) is a rapid, label-free, modular, non-destructive, and multiplexed imaging technique used in a number of applications for both elemental and biological analysis. Its flexible, sensitive, and adaptive nature makes SERS an excellent platform for cancer imaging. In the context of nanomedicine, SERS has shown tremendous utility. Several different nanoparticles have been used in SERS for cancer imaging, and includes the most widely studied gold nanoparticles, with silver nanoparticles, carbon-based nanoparticles, and metal oxide semiconductor nanoparticles gaining popularity in recent years. SERS nanoparticles can be tuned to suit nearly any application as the nanoparticle cores, surface coatings, and targeting moieties can be strategically designed for use in biological applications for in situ, in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo analyses. Since SERS is an emerging cancer diagnostic technology, frequent reviews of the SERS nanoparticle schemes are necessary to inform the research community while ensuring the most cutting-edge SERS technologies continue to be developed. In this review, SERS nanoparticles used in the past five years for cancer imaging will be analyzed, with a focus on the type of nanoparticle as well as the type of cancer to which it is applied.

Keywords: Gold nanoparticles; Silver nanoparticles; Carbon nanoparticles; Ovarian cancer; Breast cancer

Abbreviations:SERS: Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy; NP: Nano Particles; EF: Enhancement Factor