title: A rare-cell detector for cancer.
abstract: Although a reliable method for detection of cancer cells in blood would be an important tool for diagnosis and monitoring of solid tumors in early stages, current technologies cannot reliably detect the extremely low concentrations of these rare cells. The preferred method of detection, automated digital microscopy (ADM), is too slow to scan the large substrate areas. Here we report an approach that uses fiber-optic array scanning technology (FAST), which applies laser-printing techniques to the rare-cell detection problem. With FAST cytometry, laser-printing optics are used to excite 300,000 cells per sec, and emission is collected in an extremely wide field of view, enabling a 500-fold speed-up over ADM with comparable sensitivity and superior specificity. The combination of FAST enrichment and ADM imaging has the performance required for reliable detection of early-stage cancer in blood.
authors.affiliation: Scripps-PARC Institute for Advanced Biomedical Science, Palo Alto Research Center, 3333 Coyote Hill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Krivacic
authors.forename: Andras
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ladanyi
authors.forename: Douglas N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Danielle E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bergsrud
authors.forename: Jane F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kepros
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barbera
authors.forename: Michael Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Lan Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lerner
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003592:Cytophotometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019073:HT29 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D055100:Optical Fibers; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor