Emerging techniques in molecular detection of circulating tumor cells

Abstract

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are increasingly recognized for their potential utility in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Emerging technologies in the past decade have allowed possible isolation and characterization of CTCs in the peripheral blood of cancer patients, including immunomagnetic technique coupled with immunofluorescence methodology, microfluidic platform, x-ray imaging technique and flow cytometry, filter-adapted FISH and miRNA microarray. Although there are still a number of challenges associated with the identification and molecular characterization of CTCs, the analysis of CTCs carries important prognostic and therapeutic implications for personalized cancer management.

Keywords::

• cancer
• circulating tumor cells
• fluorescent in situ hybridization
• immunomagnetic
• microfluidic
• miRNA

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.