Capture and Isolation of Circulating Melanoma Cells Using Photoacoustic Flowmetry.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are those cells that separate from a solid tumor and spread through the blood or lymphatic systems. While there are many open questions concerning the biology of CTCs, there is mounting evidence that some of these cells go on to create secondary tumors in distant organs, thus enabling metastatic disease. Detection of CTCs may have clinical impact by providing prognostic information. Furthermore, molecular and genetic analysis of CTCs may enable cancer biologists to answer questions about the metastatic process, such as whether these cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Using a photoacoustic flowmeter, in which we induce ultrasonic responses from circulating melanoma cells (CMCs), we identify, capture, and isolate these cells for further analysis.