Specific detection tool for mesenchymal and epithelial mesenchymal transformed circulating tumor cells

摘要

The present invention includes the discovery of cell-surface vimentin as a novel biomarker to detect and isolate mesenchymal and epithelial-mesenchymal transformed circulating tumor cells from blood of cancer patients. In addition, an antibody specific for the detection of cell-surface vimentin on circulating tumor cells and the use the antibody to detect, enumerate, and isolate CTC are provided.