Peptide-based method for detection of metastatic transformation in primary tumors of breast cancer.

Detection of metastatic activity before the onset of the actual metastasis can be a promising method to combat metastasis, the foremost cause of death in cancer. Therefore, in this work, we have developed an assay method for the detection of metastatic tumor cells in primary tumor, by using a protein of the metastatic cell signaling as the biomarker. In this assay, a peptide-based probe targeting the marker protein and a sensitive nanoparticle doped graphene nanolabel are combined to enable the detection of metastatic cells. Consequently, the metastatic cells can be specifically detected and discriminated from primary tumor cells. By applying this assay method to clinical samples of primary tumor, a low amount of metastatic activity can be detected in the tumor sites, which may suggest the activity of local metastatic transformation. So, these results may point to the prospect of using the proposed method for controlling metastatic cancer.