Development of the detection method of curculating tumour cells (CTCs) which act as a sensitive marker for colorectal cancer using new microfluidic CTC chip

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K08974
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Laboratory medicine
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Tomiki Yuichi 順天堂大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (40245725)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小見山 博光 順天堂大学, 医学部, 非常勤講師 (30348982) ; 大永 崇 富山県産業技術研究開発センター, その他部局等, 副主幹研究員 (10416133)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 血中循環腫瘍細胞 / 大腸癌 / マイクロ流体チップ / リキッドバイオプシー / 腫瘍マーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a CTC detection system to diagnose colorectal cancer (CRC) using blood samples. The system uses the polymeric CTC-chip, a new device for CTC isolation. The high efficiency of　CTC　chip was assessed with cell suspensions of the CRC cell line. The CTC-chip was used to detect CTCs in blood samples obtained from 13 cases of stage II-IV CRS. On average, the number CTCs/ml were lower in patients with stages II and III CRC than in those with stage IV. In cases with stages II-IV, 92% had CTC per ml, which was higher than the positive rate by the carbo- hydrate antigen 19-9 test (CA19-9). Moreover, CTCs were detected in all cases with stage II and III CRC, including cases with negative results for the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9 tests. With the CTC-chip detection system, CTCs can be effective cancer markers, particularly for patients in stage II and III CRC who often exhibit negative conventional serum marker test results.

Free Research Field

腫瘍外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大腸癌は早期診断により治療効果が高まること、また再発発生の場合も早期対応にて最適治療を行うことができる。今回開発したＣＴＣチップで大腸癌の血中腫瘍細胞を捕捉・同定・計測する方法により、CTCが鋭敏な腫瘍マーカーとして機能し、大腸癌の採血検体による鋭敏な診断が可能になるであろう。またＣＴＣ濃度検出によって、癌の進行の検出を容易にすることからも、臨床上の意義は大きい。