Researchers Use Microchip-Based Device to Culture Certain Types of Breast Cancer Cells - East Idaho News
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Researchers Use Microchip-Based Device to Culture Certain Types of Breast Cancer Cells

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Thinkstock 071014 DoctorWithPatient?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1405030833463iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A preliminary study at Massachusetts General Hospital found that specially developed microchips may be able to detect certain types of breast cancer cells in a patient’s bloodstream.

The study contained data from just 36 patients, but researchers were able to detect breast cancer without a biopsy. Still, specific breast cancer cells were detected in just six cases, women with advanced breast cancer.

Techniques for culturing the cancer cells in the bloodstream must be improve before the microchip-based technique is ready for clinical use. Still, the use of microchips to find circulating tumor cells would be a big step forward from requiring a biopsy.

The microchip would not rely on previously identified marker proteins on the surface of the tumor cells, which limits the existing methods. It also allows researchers to uncover new possible mutations.


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