Can Wearable Sensor Platforms Detect Cancer Drug Contamination on Gloves?

A wearable detection platform was recently tested to see whether it was capable of identifying trace contamination from two widely used cancer drugs on workplace surfaces. The research team, comprised of researchers from Shandong First Medical University, demonstrated that their platform could identify trace contamination in under five minutes, which is a significant reduction from the hours currently required by conventional laboratory methods.¹ This study and its findings were published in the journal Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.¹

What did the researchers do in their study?

In their study, the research team described a sensor substrate that can be applied directly to medical gloves and used to swab workbenches and pharmaceutical packaging for residues of icotinib and gefitinib, both targeted therapies used to treat non-small cell lung cancer.¹

What are icotinib and gefitinib?

Icotinib and gefitinib are targeted cancer drugs used primarily to treat certain types of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that carry mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene.^1–3

Both drugs work by inhibiting the EGFR protein, which can become abnormally active in some lung cancers. By blocking this pathway, the medications can reduce cancer cell growth and spread.^1–3

Is exposure to icotinib and gefitinib dangerous to humans?

When these drugs are handled by healthcare workers, they need to wear gloves because of several key health concerns. For example, repeated skin contact with these drugs can cause potential reproductive, mutagenic, and carcinogenic problems.¹ Because of this reason, it is important to monitor trace evidence of these drugs. The issue, though, is that doing so with the current tools is difficult because it normally requires samples to be sent to an off-site laboratory.¹

So what does this new surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) platform do?

SERS is a technique that amplifies molecular signals to detect extremely low concentrations of a target substance.¹ When combined with the substrate, which was designated HOF-101@AuNFs/CF, the combination created what the authors describe as a "triple synergistic effect.”¹ This porous framework concentrates drug molecules, the gold nanoflowers generate dense detection hotspots, and the cellulose fiber aids adsorption and sample retention.¹

In laboratory testing, the platform detected both drugs at concentrations as low as 2.26 to 3.00 parts per billion, which was well below the occupational exposure thresholds of concern.¹ The platform also demonstrated a reliable logarithmic correlation between signal intensity and concentration across a range from 10 ppb to 2 parts per million.¹

How does this platform work out in the field?

Out in the field, the substrate is mounted on a standard nitrile glove. A worker swipes the glove-substrate across a surface, then reads the result using a portable Raman spectrometer.¹ The entire process, from sampling to result, takes approximately five minutes.¹ No external pumps, chemical reagents, or laboratory infrastructure are required.

According to the authors, what are some of the advantages of their platform?

The authors noted in their study that the main advantage of this glove-based format is that it is designed to bring that capability directly to the point of exposure.¹ Several other advantages of their platform include its low cost and ease of manufacture, which allows more laboratories and scientists to use their platform without breaking the bank.¹ And finally, the last main advantage of their platform is that the substrate uses commercially accessible materials and does not require specialized fabrication equipment, which the researchers suggest could support broader adoption in clinical and pharmaceutical settings where budgets and technical resources vary.¹

What are the key takeaways from this study?

The main takeaway from this study is that this wearable SERS platform the researchers developed can identify and classify antineoplastic compounds. However, it is important to note that the study only examined two commonly oral targeted therapies. Whether the SERS platform can be adapted for other antineoplastic compounds remains to be seen. What this study does, though, is indicate that this can be a likely direction for future research, which would ultimately determine whether their method could be deployed for wide-scale use.

References

1. Ni, X.; Wang, H.; Chen, W.; et al. Field-ready Detection of Antineoplastic Drugs in Workplaces Using a Wearable Flexible Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Platform. Sens. Act. B: Chem. 2026, 452, 139447. DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2026.139447
2. Liu, K.; Jiang, G.; Zhang, A.; et al. Icotinib is as Efficacious as Gefitinib for Brain Metastasis of EGFR Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer. BMC Cancer 2020, 20, 76. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-6543-y
3. Shi, Y.; Zhang, L.; Liu, X.; et al. Icotinib Versus Gefitinib in Previously Treated Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (ICOGEN): A Randomised, Double-blind Phase 3 Non-inferiority Trial. The Lancet Oncol. 2013, 14 (10), 953–961. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70355-3