Hybrid magnetic and deformability based isolation of circulating tumor cells using microfluidics

Circulating tumor cell (CTC) and their isolation is one potential clinically useful target within a “liquid biopsy”. Detection and characterization of CTCs provide a non-invasive approach for monitoring cancer therapy. In the present research, a magnet- deformability hybrid integrated microfluidic chip was designed to enumerate CTCs. Arrays of narrow gaps (patterned by micro-ellipse microposts) were designed to capture CTCs bonded with magnetic immune beads. Eleven samples, including Gastric of Colorectal, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), Ureter cancer, and Breast cancer, were used to validate the microfluidic device clinically. Clinical test results show a high capture efficiency (over 90% at 3ml/h) and high viability (96%) at high flow rate. Furthermore, comparisons of device performance with and without magnet beads were also conducted. This hybrid chip design demonstrated excellent performance in the clinical enumeration of CTCs, which is promising in the future cancer therapy evaluation.