International researchers have recently developed a method for capturing blood cells to isolate tumors, using a novel liquid biopsy device that functions as a 3D printed cell trap.

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This technique is being used in research for cancer treatment as an improved way to target cancer cells which can be difficult to find (and often to allow for a diagnosis)—as well as monitoring for the further spreading of cancer cells if they metastasize.

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To put it into perspective, it is important to understand that the few cancer cells being sought could be hidden in billions of other blood cells. The 3D printed trap finds these cells as white blood cells are kept in, and red blood cells are filtered back out. While previous methods have been used, in most cases they lack efficiency and damage cells in the trap. “Capturing these tumor cells is in itself a big challenge,” says […]

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