Breast Cancer Aptamers: Current Sensing Targets, Available Aptamers, and Their Evaluation for Clinical Use in Diagnostics

Simple Summary Aptamers, which are short sequences of oligonucleotide or peptides, have become an increasingly popular tool within the field of oncology. This increase in usage is attributed to an aptamer-specific design that allows for high degrees of target specificity and high binding affinity, having thus become of specific interest for the design of sensing platforms. Herein, we look to present the reader with all of the prominent known aptamers and their receptors for the detection of breast cancer. Our hope is that with the knowledge presented in this review, researchers will have a hub to explore the advantages and disadvantages of each aptamer and their target, thus allowing for informed project design and a foundation to build upon. Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in women worldwide, and the rate of diagnosis continues to increase. Early detection and targeted treatment towards histological type is crucial to improving outcomes, but current screening methods leave some patients at risk of late diagnosis. The risk of late diagnosis and progressed disease is of particular concern for young women as current screening methods are not recommended early in life. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind with high specificity to target molecules such as proteins, peptides, and other small molecules. They are relatively cheap to produce and are invariable from batch to batch, making them ideal for use in large-scale clinical or screening programs. The use of aptamers for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and therapeutics is promising, but comparison of these aptamers and their corresponding biomarkers for use in breast cancer is significantly lacking. Here, we compare the currently available aptamers for breast cancer biomarkers and their respective biomarkers, as well as highlight the electrochemical sensors that are in development.