Patent ID: 8900843

Claim:
A method for the capture of circulating tumor cells in a body fluid sample or a serum-containing sample, comprising the following steps: (a) attaching endothelium or epithelium cells on a solid support, (b) adding white blood cells to the attached endothelium or epithelium cells (a) for capturing the circulating tumor cells, wherein the white blood cells are neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, monocytes or macrophages; (c) adding one or more inflammation-inducing agent to induce an inflammation reaction on said attached endothelium or epithelium cells and white blood cells, wherein the inflammation-inducing agent is a tumor necrosis factor or an interleukin; and (d) adding a body fluid sample or a serum containing sample to the solid support whereby the white blood cells and the endothelium or epithelium cells capture circulating tumor cells contained in the body fluid sample or the serum-containing sample, and wherein the body fluid sample or the serum-containing sample is pre-diluted more than 10 times.