Until now, tracking circulating tumor cells (CTC), a powerful indicator of cancer metastasis, has been challenging because there are very few markers that specifically identify these cells.

Looking to find a better way to follow metastasis progression, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine developed a procedure to enhance the detection of TNBC cells collected from a simple blood draw, sometimes called a “liquid biopsy,” offering a minimally invasive way to monitor cancer in near real time.

Improving CTC detection

This new approach led to the identification of four new proteins on the surface of live CTCs that specifically identify these cells. Capturing live cells is important because it allows scientists to analyze the genetic material of single cells, helping them understand how cancer spreads and how it might be stopped.