The Big Idea: Liquid biopsy

In the past, in order to get tumor cells from a patient, a doctor had to do surgery or biopsy. Now a nurse draws blood from the arm, like what happens in a routine blood test. The blood sample is taken to a laboratory in the hospital. The sample is put into a machine called a CellCelector. Using the CellCelector, the lab technician can isolate cancer cells from the healthy blood cells. Images of the cancerous cells are then projected on computer screen to be studied by a doctor.