The Role of Blood Viscosity in the Development of Metastasis

Cancer is a heterogeneous class of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells within the human body. Solid tumors may invade nearby tissues and eventually enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. Cancer is divided into four stages that describe the degree to which cancer cells have invaded tissue and spread throughout the body. Stage IV, metastatic disease, is the most invasive stage in which cancer cells have spread from the primary tumor to distant organs in a process known as metastasis. One major way in which cancer cells are able to do this is by transport through the circulatory system. As such, defining how the fluid dynamics of blood flow influence cancer cells is a key component of studying this process. The goal for this project is to explore the impact of blood viscosity (thickness) on the process of metastasis. Currently, most in vitro models neglect viscosity, despite evidence that viscosity is a crucial factor in the metastasis with higher blood viscosity leading to a faster rate of metastasis. By using microfluidic techniques, image processing, and computer modeling, quantitative measurements of the metastatic potential of cell lines in vitro will enable a better understanding of exactly what factors are impacting metastasis, and to what degree.