CTCtrap – Circulating Tumor Cells TheRapeutic APheresis: a novel biotechnology enabling personalized therapy for all cancer patients

Circulating tumor cells (CTC) refer to cells that detach from a primary tumor or metastatic site, circulate in the peripheral blood and may form metastasis. CTC represent a 'liquid biopsy' that can be used to tailor treatment for individual patients. CTC are however rare and can only be obtained for further characterization in a small fraction of patients. In the CTCtrap consortium universities, research institutions and SMEs are linked in a common effort, starting from the simple, but innovative view of using Diagnostic Apheresis (DA), as a way to collect CTC from peripheral blood in cancer patients. A new DA c…