Overview of Optical Fiber Biosensors for the Detection of Cancer Biomarkers in the Past Decade

Early-stage detection of cancer plays a pivotal role in reducing mortality and improving patient survival. Consequently, extensive research has been directed toward the development of innovative diagnostic platforms that exploit cancer-specific biomarkers. These biomarkers encompass a diverse array of biological molecules including nucleic acids, proteins, enzymes, hormones, cytokeratins, and cell surface receptors that provide valuable insights into disease onset, progression, and therapeutic response. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the design and application of optical fiber biosensors (OFBs) for the detection of cancer biomarkers. It systematically summarizes key cancer types and associated biomarkers, their physiological and pathological concentration ranges, and the corresponding sensing mechanisms utilized for their quantification. Emphasis is placed on the fundamental configurations of optical fiber biosensing systems, along with their working principles. Emerging trends and future research directions are also outlined to accelerate the development of next-generation OFBs for real-time and point-of-care cancer diagnostics.