Microfluidic Device Predicts Pancreatic Cancer Recurrence After Surgery

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest cancers, difficult to detect early, and prone to recurring in nearly 70% of patients after treatment. Its location deep in the abdomen and its aggressive biology contribute to a five-year survival rate of just 13%. During tumor-removal surgery, cancer cells can enter the bloodstream and seed new tumors elsewhere. Researchers are now working on a new pancreatic cancer treatment, which separates cancer cells from the bloodstream using a small chip device.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago (Chicago, IL, USA) evaluated how circulating tumor cells behave during surgery and tested a new technique for capturing them from blood samples. Their microfluidic device, developed in collaboration with UIC’s College of Engineering, was created to isolate cells based on their physical properties without damaging them. The small glass-and-plastic chip contains ultra-narrow channels that sort cells by size and flexibility as blood passes through. This work draws on earlier in-vitro evidence suggesting lidocaine, a common local anesthetic, may impair the ability of tumor cells to re-enter tissues, potentially reducing metastasis.

To determine whether the capture method works in patients, the investigators compared it with a commercial magnetic separation platform using blood samples from individuals with pancreatic cancer. The study, published in Lab on a Chip, benchmarked both technologies side by side. The microfluidic approach recovered significantly more circulating tumor cells—about eight times more—while also processing samples in roughly 20 minutes. Previous performance data showed 93% accuracy in isolating cancer cells, underscoring its strength as a non-destructive liquid biopsy tool.

These findings suggest that improved detection of circulating tumor cells could help identify patients at higher risk of metastasis during the critical period before chemotherapy begins. They also support the hypothesis that pairing lidocaine infusion with sensitive cell-capture methods may offer a way to monitor and possibly reduce the aggressiveness of these cells. The long-term goal is to use such real-time insights to better characterize cancer spread and personalize postoperative treatment strategies. Researchers plan to extend this work by testing how lidocaine influences captured cells and refining the device for broader clinical use.

“I really expect that the results of this study may help our patients,” said lead investigator Dr. Gina Votta-Velis. “The notion that lidocaine, which has been used to relieve pain for more than 65 years, may mitigate metastasis and favorably affect patient outcomes is highly innovative.”

“Most malignant cancers in humans spread through the bloodstream,” added Dr. Pier Giulianotti, co-investigator on the study. “Understanding how cancer cells are released into the bloodstream and being able to control this process is very, very important.”

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