A review on breast cancer diagnostic techniques

Abstract

Breast cancer occurs when cells grow abnormally and form tumors. It is currently one of the most prevalent cancers in women, and it is known to cause serious detrimental effects if not detected on time. Thus, early detection and screening may tremendously contribute to a patient's medical treatment. The boom in cancer diagnostics resulted from the demand to overcome the limitations of bulky and time-consuming conventional detection methods. The new and advanced methods are simpler, faster and easily deployable. This review elucidates various techniques used for breast cancer detection, which include optical, electrochemical, mechanical, electrical, thermal and color- and breath-based methods. An overview of different techniques is presented with additional information related to the available commercial options. This review also presents the integration of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things into futuristic diagnostic techniques. The unmet needs and challenges are also discussed. Overall, this review is a comprehensive package for researchers who want to dive into the advances of breast cancer diagnostics.