ABSTRACT
Recently, many people have been losing their lives due to lung cancer, and one-fourth of the cancer-related deaths in the USA are due to lung cancer. The disease has a high mortality rate primarily because it does not show any symptoms during its early stages due to its distant metastasis. In addition, the absence of effective diagnostic techniques for early detection further contributes to its deadly nature. Lung tumors usually appear as a white-gray mass on X-rays, and chest X-rays fail to provide a decisive diagnostic report because of their inability to differentiate between cancer and other similar conditions, including lung abscess (i.e., deposition of pus in the lungs’ newly formed cavities surrounded by inflamed tissues). Therefore, mankind is in dire need of innovative technologies to effectively diagnose lung cancer at an early stage. In recent times, the potential of bioactive gold (Au) nanoparticles has been widely recognized due to their unique ability to scatter and absorb light and their capability to convert optical energy into heat by utilizing the dynamics of non-radiative electron relaxation pathways. Additionally, these nanoparticles have gained significant interest in the field of biomedical sciences because of their excellent stability, inertness, good biocompatibility, ease of surface modification, and functionalization, as well as transferability of drugs. By serving as a dependable and safe visualization candidate, Au nanoparticles have the ability to precisely pinpoint the location and borderlines of cancer, thereby initiating new avenues for the early diagnosis of cancer. As a result, gold nanoparticles can prove to be a reliable and efficient nanomaterial in lung cancer diagnosis. The objective of this chapter is to outline how bioactive Au nanoparticles have emerged as a potent tool in diagnosing lung cancer and also explore novel approaches to beat the diagnostic challenges associated with this disease.
