METHOD FOR DIAGNOSIS AND/OR PROGNOSIS OF CANCERS BY ANALYSIS OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF TUMOUR CELLS

摘要

A method for diagnosis and/or prognosis of cancers, for diagnosis of the site of origin of tumour cells, for optimizing the treatment of cancer patients and for screening active substances for oncology. In the method, the mechanical properties of tumour cells and reference cells are analyzed under a mechanical load that leads to linear or nonlinear deformation of the respective loaded cell. The expansion of the cells, which results from the input of a directed mechanical stress, is used to determine the risk of tumour metastases and, if appropriate, the presence of uncontrollably proliferating and/or invasive cells, or the tissue of origin of the tumour. The risk of tumour metastases is determined on the basis of the proportion of cells in the sample that have an extension counter to the direction of stressing. The risk of the presence of uncontrollably proliferating cells is determined, in the case of nonlinear deformation of the cell, on the basis of the mean value of the expansion in the direction of stressing of cells in the sample.