title: Enrichment of circulating head and neck tumour cells using spiral microfluidic technology.
abstract: Whilst locoregional control of head and neck cancers (HNCs) has improved over the last four decades, long-term survival has remained largely unchanged. A possible reason for this is that the rate of distant metastasis has not changed. Such disseminated disease is reflected in measurable levels of cancer cells in the blood of HNC patients, referred to as circulating tumour cells (CTCs). Numerous marker-independent techniques have been developed for CTC isolation and detection. Recently, microfluidics-based platforms have come to the fore to avoid molecular bias. In this pilot, proof of concept study, we evaluated the use of the spiral microfluidic chip for CTC enrichment and subsequent detection in HNC patients. CTCs were detected in 13/24 (54%) HNC patients, representing both early to late stages of disease. Importantly, in 7/13 CTC-positive patients, CTC clusters were observed. This is the first study to use spiral microfluidics technology for CTC enrichment in HNC.
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Arutha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulasinghe
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Thao Huynh Phuoc
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blick
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.|Translational Cell Imaging Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Byrne
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.|University of Melbourne, Department of Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Erik W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Majid E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Warkiani
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.|Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Translational Research Institute Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland; Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane; Central Integrated Regional Cancer Service, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kenny
authors.affiliation: The School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia.|Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Chamindie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Punyadeera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D008297:Male; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D047368:Tumor Burden
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor