JERUSALEM, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have developed a new way to identify aggressive cancer cells by observing how they physically behave, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said in a statement on Monday.
Aggressive cancer cells, which can spread to other organs, often appear similar to less harmful cells in standard lab conditions, which makes traditional tests sometimes fail to detect how dangerous a cell is.
Rather than relying on analyzing genes or chemical markers, the method examines how cancer cells stick to and engulf particles on specially designed microscopic surfaces, according to the university's statement.
The surfaces are patterned with tiny beads, ranging from 0.23 to 2.3 micrometers in size, and are placed at different densities.
The researchers tested cancer cells from mild to highly aggressive types. Results published in Materials Today Bio show that at metastatic sites (where cancer spreads), cells grabbed more beads, clung tighter, and stretched out with actin-rich "arms" to wrap around them.
Meanwhile, when cancer cells traveled through the lymph after leaving the main tumor, they stuck less but ate more beads, suggesting they lose stickiness during travel but regain it at new sites.
The researchers said that the new method does not require dyes or labels and could be used for rapid screening, studying cancer spread, drug testing, and personalized treatment. ■
