HER2 Support Group Forums - New Her2 and CTC detector in development

http://www.dailytech.com/New+Microfl...ticle19751.htm

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Now, Thierry and his colleagues' device has the ability to detect the status of HER2 and help capture circulating tumor cells. The device is made of organic silicon found in most contact lenses, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which are shampoos that are transparent, permeable to gasses, and compatible with soft molding techniques. The device also contains a polymeric layer on its surface, which has a large number of reactive molecules in it. Through the use of a plasma-based polymerization process, this layer can attach to proteins that are able to catch cancer cells while leaving normal blood cells alone.
"Microfluidic-based devices offer a unique opportunity to efficiently isolate CTCs from patient's blood, thereby opening a window on the pathophysiology of cancer and its progression," said Thierry. "We hope that our device will provide a fast, reliable and affordable methodology to establish HER2 status for breast cancer patients presenting metastases, thereby enabling the selection of more potent therapy based on trastuzumab.