A new device roughly the size of a penny uses sound waves to gently separate circulating tumor cells from biological fluids
Using sound waves, researchers have developed a gentle, contact-free method for separating circulating tumor cells from blood samples that is fast and efficient enough for clinical use.
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are small pieces of a tumor that break away and flow through the bloodstream. They contain a wealth of information about the tumor, such as its type, physical characteristics and genetic mutations that are associated with prognosis and whether certain treatments may be effective. The ability to quickly and efficiently harvest and grow these cells from a blood sample would enable “liquid biopsies” capable of providing robust diagnosis, prognosis and suggestions for treatment strategies based on individual CTC profiling.
In a new study, researchers from Duke University, MIT and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) demonstrate a platform based on sound waves capable of separating CTCs from a 7.5-mL vial of blood with at least 86 percent efficiency in less than an hour. With additional improvements, the researchers hope the technology will form the basis of a new test through an inexpensive, disposable chip.