Researchers develop chip to detect cancer cells in blood

Researchers from Southern Federal University, in collaboration with specialists from Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Panjab University in India, have developed a coin-sized chip capable of detecting circulating tumor cells in just a few milliliters of blood.

The device is specifically designed to detect breast cancer cells by utilizing folic acid receptors, which are significantly more prevalent on cancer cells than on healthy ones. In experimental tests, the chip successfully detected between 80% and 91% of circulating tumor cells without producing false positives.

Crucially for future molecular research, over 95% of the captured cells remained alive and intact. This development represents the initial stage of preclinical testing.