» Articles » PMID: 36835311

Recent Advances in Methods for Circulating Tumor Cell Detection

Overview
Journal Int J Mol Sci
Publisher MDPI
Date 2023 Feb 25
PMID 36835311
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are released from primary tumors and transported through the body via blood or lymphatic vessels before settling to form micrometastases under suitable conditions. Accordingly, several studies have identified CTCs as a negative prognostic factor for survival in many types of cancer. CTCs also reflect the current heterogeneity and genetic and biological state of tumors; so, their study can provide valuable insights into tumor progression, cell senescence, and cancer dormancy. Diverse methods with differing specificity, utility, costs, and sensitivity have been developed for isolating and characterizing CTCs. Additionally, novel techniques with the potential to overcome the limitations of existing ones are being developed. This primary literature review describes the current and emerging methods for enriching, detecting, isolating, and characterizing CTCs.

Citing Articles

Label-Free and Rapid Microfluidic Design Rules for Circulating Tumor Cell Enrichment and Isolation: A Review and Simulation Analysis.

Mansor M, Yang C, Chong K, Jamrus M, Liu K, Yu M ACS Omega. 2025; 10(7):6306-6322.

PMID: 40028152 PMC: 11866005. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c08606.


A revolutionary era in advancing precision immuno-oncology; role of circulating tumor cells.

Bahmaie N, Ozensoy Guler O, Simsek E J Liq Biopsy. 2025; 6:100169.

PMID: 40027303 PMC: 11863822. DOI: 10.1016/j.jlb.2024.100169.


Development of PowerMag System II for Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells with Improved Purity.

Ho C, Tsai H, Wang J, Wang C, Chiou C, Cheng J Biomedicines. 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 40002844 PMC: 11852382. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13020431.


Liquid biopsy for Renal Cell Carcinoma: A comprehensive review of techniques, applications, and future prospects.

Jani C, Abdallah N, Tan A, McKay R Kidney Cancer. 2025; 8(1):205-225.

PMID: 39886007 PMC: 11781563. DOI: 10.1177/24684570241303346.


Liquid biopsy in cancer current: status, challenges and future prospects.

Ma L, Guo H, Zhao Y, Liu Z, Wang C, Bu J Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2024; 9(1):336.

PMID: 39617822 PMC: 11609310. DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-02021-w.


References
1.
Neoh K, Hassan A, Chen A, Sun Y, Liu P, Xu K . Rethinking liquid biopsy: Microfluidic assays for mobile tumor cells in human body fluids. Biomaterials. 2017; 150:112-124. DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.10.006. View

2.
Sharma S, Zhuang R, Long M, Pavlovic M, Kang Y, Ilyas A . Circulating tumor cell isolation, culture, and downstream molecular analysis. Biotechnol Adv. 2018; 36(4):1063-1078. PMC: 5971144. DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.03.007. View

3.
Nasiri R, Shamloo A, Ahadian S, Amirifar L, Akbari J, Goudie M . Microfluidic-Based Approaches in Targeted Cell/Particle Separation Based on Physical Properties: Fundamentals and Applications. Small. 2020; 16(29):e2000171. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202000171. View

4.
Lu R, Chen Q, Liu X, Shen S, Pan Z, Shi C . Detection of circulating stage III-IV gastric cancer tumor cells based on isolation by size of epithelial tumor: using the circulating tumor cell biopsy technology. Transl Cancer Res. 2022; 8(4):1342-1350. PMC: 8798136. DOI: 10.21037/tcr.2019.07.32. View

5.
Baslan T, Hicks J . Unravelling biology and shifting paradigms in cancer with single-cell sequencing. Nat Rev Cancer. 2017; 17(9):557-569. DOI: 10.1038/nrc.2017.58. View