Hi Sameer, you have a simple question, but there is no easy answer.

If you inject a cell into the circulation, it has to withstand shear forces and deformation to survive going through the capillaries.

Blood cells can do this because their cytoskeleton is not rigid and they can squeeze through capillaries.  

Cancerous epithelial cells in the circulation are not designed to  travel in the circulation, so they will respond differently to shear stress. 

Dear Samir,

Following literature may help you.

Coughlin MF, Fredberg JJ. Changes in cytoskeletal dynamics and nonlinear rheology with metastatic ability in cancer cell lines.Phys Biol. 2013 Dec;10(6):065001. doi: 10.1088/1478-3975/10/6/065001. Epub 2013 Dec 4.

Study of Cell Mechanics and Surface Rheology of Cancer Cells using High Throughput Microfluidic Device. by Jhaveri, Dweep, M.S., UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE, 2015, 55 pages; 1591961

Power-Law Rheology of Normal and Cancer Cells Investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (http://www.cell.com/biophysj/abstract/S0006-3495(11)04413-4)

 Dear Dr Stefansson,

Thanks for your kind response!

Can cancer cells actually adapt to the flow conditions? As in you mentioned that they are not designed for squeezing flows. But with time can they actually adapt to squeezing flows. In that context, is it actually possible to eliminate them using sonic/ultrasonic vibrations, using vibration frequencies that  normal cells can tolerate but cancer cells cannot ,owing to a more rigid cell structure?

Dear Dr. Chavan,

Thanks for the literature. Will go through the Coughlin paper and come back with some more doubts. I did happen to briefly go through the AFM work when I was first searching.

Hello Everyone,

Is there anyone working on the Rheology of the cell cultures. Please reply. May need some information.

Thank you!

Hi Sameer, sorry I missed your question. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are epithelial cells that are sloughed off from the solid tumor. They don't have time to adapt because they don't last long in the circulation.

Eliminating them from the circulation is a loosing proposition as far as I am concerned because the solid tumor is continuously sloughing off CTCs because of its size and proximity to the vasculature. The primary and secondary tumor(s) will continue to grow no matter how many CTCs are destroyed in the circulation.