Nanoscopic technologies toward molecular profiling of single extracellular vesicles for cancer liquid biopsy.

This article reviews the application of nanoplasmonic structures in the optical molecular profiling of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as emerging biomarkers for cancer liquid biopsy. It details how nanoplasmonic arrays—engineered nanoscale metallic structures—enhance the sensitivity and specificity of EV detection through amplified optical signals such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and surface-enhanced fluorescence. The review highlights advances in on-chip EV isolation and probe-free molecular profiling, including recent developments in single EV analysis enabled by nanoplasmonic platforms, and discusses integration with machine learning algorithms to address EV heterogeneity and improve diagnostic accuracy. Clinical applications across various cancers are summarized, alongside comparisons with existing commercial EV detection technologies. The authors emphasize the potential of customizable nanoplasmonic devices combined with artificial intelligence to enable precise, noninvasive cancer diagnostics and personalized therapeutic monitoring, while noting that further development and clinical validation are needed for widespread adoption.