Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
14:14
Adaptation of Semiautomated Circulating Tumor Cell CTC Assays for Clinical and Preclinical Research Applications
Published on: February 28, 2014
16.3K
Identification and Quantitation of Circulating Tumor Cells
Siddarth Rawal1, Yu-Ping Yang1,2, Richard Cote1,2
1Department of Pathology, DJTMF Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146.
Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry (Palo Alto, Calif.)
|March 17, 2017
Summary
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are rare but crucial for metastasis. New technologies improve CTC detection and quantification, aiming for wider clinical use in cancer prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Biotechnology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) shed from primary tumors and drive metastasis.
- CTC enumeration offers prognostic value in various cancers.
- Clinical use of CTC tests is limited by CTC rarity and heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of CTC enrichment and detection techniques.
- To highlight novel approaches for rapid CTC quantification.
- To discuss advancements enabling better CTC yield, purity, and detection sensitivity.
Main Methods:
- Review of current CTC enrichment technologies.
- Analysis of CTC detection methodologies.
- Emphasis on emerging rapid quantification strategies.
Main Results:
- Recent technological advances enhance CTC enrichment yield and purity.
- Improved detection sensitivity is being achieved.
- Focus is shifting towards assay standardization and clinical translation.
Conclusions:
- Advanced CTC enrichment and detection technologies are crucial for overcoming clinical limitations.
- Novel methods for rapid CTC quantification are emerging.
- Standardization and translation of CTC assays are key to realizing their full clinical potential.
