Project

Microchip-based Circulating Tumor Cell Profiling and Drug Sensitivity Testing to Support Clinical Decisions in Metastatic Cancer Patients

Short Summary

Metastatic cancer progression and the inability to predict sensitivity to anti-cancer agents are factors that account for most cancer-related deaths, and to date, patients with a progressive metastatic disease are typically considered incurable. We aim to exploit the advantages of liquid biopsies and develop a circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based patient stratification method, whereby the best therapy for individual patients is identified prior to treatment initiation.

Goals

We hypothesize that CTC analysis might be transformative and provide an exceptional tool to identify up-to-date drug sensitivity patterns in individual patients, both in the adjuvant setting as well as in cases with advanced metastatic disease that is refractory to standard of care treatments. Based on this hypothesis, our goal is to develop a novel CTC-based microfluidic tool for capturing CTCs and assessing their drug sensitivities, to support clinical decision-making.

Significance

This research project has the long-term ambition to provide a first example of how CTC analysis in patients with aggressive cancer can facilitate treatment selection and guidance, especially in difficult cases where treatment options are limited.

Background

Treatment selection for patients with cancer often is based on characteristics that are inferred from their primary tumor. However, recent literature highlights the tendency of tumor cells to evolve dynamically along disease progression, suggesting that metastatic lesions may carry dramatically different drug sensitivity profiles. In patients, CTCs are direct derivatives of both primary and metastatic lesions and in this context, they represent an outstanding opportunity to improve clinical decision-making for patients with aggressive cancers, particularly those in whom metastasis tissue biopsies are challenging and survival chances are dismal.

Technology Translation

Co-Investigators

Prof. Andreas Wicki (USZ)
Prof. Petra Dittrich (ETH Zurich)

Consortium

Status

In Progress

5th Call, Tech Trans