A plug-and-play surface acoustic wave-based SERS chip for rapid enrichment and ultrasensitive detection of tumor exosomes

Exosomes hold considerable promise for early cancer diagnosis. However, their low abundance during early tumor progression and inefficient receptor binding remain obstacles to their broad application. Here, we present the surface acoustic wave (SAW)-SERS Exosome Capture Analysis Chip (SEC-chip), which enriches exosomes within 5 min and quantifies HER2 using only 5 µL of serum. The device features a reusable acoustic transducer coupled with a disposable, CD63 aptamer functionalized capture base. Acoustic microstreaming concentrates vesicles into the detection zone, enabling a detection limit of 5 particles/5 µL, representing a 100-fold improvement over static assays. This hybrid design eliminates cross-contamination and reduces costs. Validated on 12 clinical samples, the SEC-chip accurately stratified HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Integrating rapid processing with ultrasensitivity, the platform offers a robust liquid biopsy tool for tumor diagnosis and future point-of-care screening. Section Graphical