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Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research
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Circulating Tumor Cell Lines: an Innovative Tool for Fundamental and Translational Research

Published on: December 25, 2021

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Is small smarter? Nanomaterial-based detection and elimination of circulating tumor cells: current knowledge and

Alena Gribko1, Julian Künzel1, Désirée Wünsch1

  • 1Nanobiomedicine Department/ENT, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz 55131, Germany, roland.stauber@unimedizin-mainz.de; dinggb2012@sxu.edu.cn.

International Journal of Nanomedicine
|July 11, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are crucial for metastasis but hard to detect. Nanotechnology offers promising solutions for isolating and targeting these rare cancer cells for improved diagnostics and therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Biomarkers

Background:

  • Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are disseminated cancer cells linked to metastasis, the primary cause of cancer mortality.
  • Despite their potential as predictive biomarkers, CTCs' rarity and heterogeneity hinder clinical application.
  • Effective isolation and detection methods for CTCs are critical for advancing cancer diagnostics and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of CTCs in tumor metastasis.
  • To discuss challenges in CTC enrichment due to their unique properties.
  • To explore nanotechnology-based systems for CTC isolation, detection, and targeted therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on CTCs, metastasis, and nanotechnology applications.
  • Analysis of recent advancements in microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies for CTCs.
  • Discussion of nanomaterial-based strategies for CTC-targeted cancer therapy.

Main Results:

  • CTCs play a key role in cancer metastasis, but their characteristics pose significant isolation challenges.
  • Nanotechnology, microfluidics, and lab-on-a-chip technologies show promise for CTC isolation and enrichment.
  • Nanomaterials offer potential for targeted cancer therapies directed at CTCs.

Conclusions:

  • Nanotechnology-based systems are advancing CTC isolation, detection, and targeted therapy.
  • Further development in CTC-directed nanosystems and related technologies is ongoing in preclinical research.
  • These advancements hold potential for improving clinical outcomes in cancer care.
Keywords:
cancer biomarkerliquid biopsymetastasisnanomedicinenanotherapytherapy resistance

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