Electrothermal therapy for the <i>in vivo</i> elimination of circulating tumor cells by using a functionalized injection needle

The elimination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has recently emerged as a reliable route to inhibit metastasis of cancer. Despite some progress of photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy (PTT), their unsatisfying efficacy or difficult operation has limited their clinical application. Herein, inspired by an immersion heater, an electrothermal therapy (ETT) strategy for the elimination of CTCs in the peripheral blood was proposed by using a functionalized injection needle. CTCs can be captured by the nanostructured surface of the injection needle and then killed in the energized state due to the temperature increase caused by electrothermal conversion. ETT not only avoids the irradiation through an external light source but also controls the temperature of the needle more easily and accurately than PTT. Thus, this study proposes a more applicable strategy for the elimination of CTCs.