Cancer specialists can get an idea of how aggressive a tumor may be with a device that captures cells circulating in the blood. The device may provide a more accurate diagnosis through less invasive measures, and possibly improve health outcomes for cancer patients. Devices currently in use count circulating tumor cells, but so far haven’t been able to differentiate between the types of cells. Now a new device can actually sort the tumor cells using nanoparticles to tag the cells. The cells can then be categorized into subgroups based on their molecular characteristics, giving practitioners and researchers a more detailed picture of a patient’s condition.
Medical News Today
Researchers at the University of Toronto were able to show that this device was effective at sorting cells, as well as it being more sensitive then other cell sorting methods. They tested the device on blood samples from 20 patients with localized prostate cancer and found circulating tumor cells in all patients. However, since this new device is able to distinguish different types of cells, the researchers were able to tell that each sample had a varied mix. The researchers now plan to test the device with samples from breast, colon, lung and pancreatic cancer patients.
Read more about the device at Medical News Today
