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Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Micromanipulation of Circulating Tumor Cells for Downstream Molecular Analysis and Metastatic Potential Assessment
Published on: May 14, 2019
A conduit to metastasis: circulating tumor cell biology
Douglas S Micalizzi1,2, Shyamala Maheswaran1,3, Daniel A Haber1,2,4
1Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, USA.
Abstract:
Advances in the enrichment and analysis of rare cells from the bloodstream have allowed for detection and characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from patients with cancer. The analysis of CTCs has provided significant insight into the metastatic process. Studies on the biology of CTCs have begun to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of CTC generation, intravasation, survival, interactions with components of the blood, extravasation, and colonization of distant organs. Additionally, the study of CTCs has exposed dramatic intrapatient and interpatient heterogeneity and their evolution over time. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge of CTC biology and the potential clinical implications.
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