Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are critical mediators of cancer metastasis and represent a promising source of minimally invasive biomarkers for disease monitoring and therapeutic intervention. Recent technological advances have significantly improved the isolation, characterization, and functional analysis of CTCs, enabling deeper insights into their biological heterogeneity and clinical relevance.

This Topical Collection aims to highlight cutting-edge methodologies and experimental protocols in CTC research, with a particular focus on: (1) innovative approaches for CTC isolation, enrichment, and single-cell analysis; (2) molecular and cellular mechanisms governing CTC generation, survival, immune evasion, and metastatic colonization; and (3) emerging therapeutic strategies targeting CTCs and CTC-derived metastatic processes.

We welcome submissions describing novel technologies, reproducible experimental workflows, animal models, ex vivo functional assays, multi-omics analyses, and translational studies that advance our understanding of CTC biology and clinical applications. Protocol-driven studies demonstrating standardized procedures for CTC detection, characterization, and therapeutic evaluation are particularly encouraged.

By bringing together experts from cancer biology, bioengineering, immunology, and translational oncology, this JoVE Topical Collection will provide a comprehensive resource for researchers seeking to understand and target the metastatic cascade through the study of circulating tumor cells.