Optofluidic device for the quantification of circulating tumor cells in breast cancer

Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 16;7(1):3677. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04033-9.

Abstract

Metastatic cancer patients require a continuous monitoring during the sequential treatment cycles to carefully evaluate their disease evolution. Repetition of biopsies is very invasive and not always feasible. Herein, we design and demonstrate a 3D-flow focusing microfluidic device, where all optics are integrated into the chip, for the fluorescence quantification of CTCs in real samples. To test the chip performance, two cell membrane targets, the epithelial cell adhesion molecule, EpCAM, and the receptor tyrosine-protein kinase, HER2, are selected. The efficiency of the platform is demonstrated on cell lines and in a variety of healthy donors and metastatic-breast cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biomarkers
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / pathology*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Biomarkers, Tumor