Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Market Outlook: Liquid Biopsy Advancements and Growth Opportunities

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, The global circulating tumor cells (CTC) market size reached USD 12.9 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 27.8 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 8.46% during 2025-2033.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Market

• Automated CTC Detection and Classification: Deep learning models analyze microscopy images to distinguish tumor cells from blood cells with over 94% accuracy, reducing manual review time from 630 seconds to under one second per sample.
• AI-Powered Image Analysis and Phenotyping: Convolutional neural networks process bright-field and fluorescence images simultaneously, achieving F1-scores exceeding 0.79 while identifying heterogeneous CTC populations without relying solely on traditional epithelial markers.
• Predictive Diagnostic Models for Cancer Risk Stratification: AI platforms combining CTC quantification with imaging biomarkers enable simultaneous classification of pulmonary nodules as benign or malignant, breaking through single-dimension diagnostic limitations for personalized treatment planning.

Explore Updated 2026 Market Trends & Analysis

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Industry Overview:

Rising cancer prevalence globally drives CTC market expansion, with projected 12.8% increase in cases by 2025 over 2020 baseline according to Indian Council of Medical Research. Hospitals adopt liquid biopsy techniques like CTC analysis because minimally invasive approaches enable real-time tumor monitoring without repeated surgical biopsies. Fortis Memorial Research Institute launched second Genexus system in July 2025 with Agilus Diagnostics, delivering 24-hour liquid biopsy turnaround times compared to traditional multi-day diagnostic processes.

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Market Trends & Drivers

Precision medicine adoption accelerates CTC utilization as oncologists shift toward personalized cancer therapies tailored to individual tumor biology. Real-time CTC analysis enables clinicians to identify genetic mutations, drug resistance patterns, and tumor progression without invasive tissue biopsies. Pharmaceutical companies increasingly incorporate CTC monitoring in clinical trials to evaluate treatment responses and accelerate drug development pipelines. Global precision medicine market reached USD 82.1 Billion in 2024, supporting expanded CTC diagnostic integration. This personalized approach maximizes therapy efficacy while minimizing side effects, making CTCs integral to next-generation cancer management strategies and patient-specific treatment planning.

Technological breakthroughs in isolation and detection systems improve CTC capture efficiency and clinical reliability. Microfluidic platforms achieve 94.8% capture efficiency with four-log white blood cell removal at scale, while LP CTC-iChip reaches 86.1% capture with 99.96% white cell depletion processing up to 5 liters of blood samples. Deep-learning biolaser systems deliver 94.3% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity without requiring antigen labels, broadening applications across heterogeneous tumor types. Bio-Rad Laboratories launched Celselect Slides 2.0 in June 2024, enhancing rare cell capture for larger liquid biopsy sample volumes. These innovations decrease costs and increase accessibility for hospitals and laboratories.

Government funding and private investment accelerate research and clinical adoption of CTC technologies. FDA companion diagnostic approvals expand hospital integration, while robust oncology infrastructure in North America supports widespread implementation with two million projected new cancer cases in 2025. City University of Hong Kong's RAISe+ Scheme financed microfluidic CTC platform deployed across 50+ mainland hospitals. Research institutions receive grants for metastasis biology studies and drug-response modeling, fueling collaborative projects between biotech companies and pharmaceutical developers. Clinical trials incorporate CTC analysis for patient stratification and pharmacodynamic endpoints, generating consistent reagent demand. Capital availability enables large-scale validation studies demonstrating clinical utility in monitoring and therapy selection.

Leading Companies Operating in the Global Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Industry:

• BioFluidica
• Bio-Techne
• Cell Microsystems
• Creatv MicroTech Inc.
• CytoLumina
• Ikonisys Inc.
• Menarini Silicon Biosystems Inc.
• Miltenyi Biotec
• Precision Medicine Group, LLC
• Qiagen N.V.
• Rarecells, Inc.
• Stemcell Technologies
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Market Report Segmentation:

By Technology:

• CTC Detection and Enrichment Method
• CTC Direct Detection Methods
• CTC Analysis

CTC detection and enrichment method represents the largest segment due to enhanced specificity and efficiency in isolating CTCs from blood samples.

By Application:

• Clinical/Liquid Biopsy
• Risk Assessment
• Screening and Monitoring
• Research
• Cancer Stem Cell and Tumorigenesis Research
• Drug/Therapy Development

Research holds the largest market share owing to cutting-edge methodologies and technologies enhancing CTC characterization, detection, and clinical applications.

By Product:

• Kits and Reagents
• Blood Collection Tubes
• Devices and Systems

Devices and systems dominate due to increasing demand for advanced cancer detection and monitoring technologies.

By Specimen:

• Blood
• Bone Marrow
• Other Body Fluids

Blood represents the largest segment as blood-based CTC analysis enables capabilities and applications that significantly advance oncology diagnostics.

By End User:

• Hospital and Clinics
• Research and Academic Institutes
• Diagnostic Centres

Regional Insights:

• North America (United States, Canada)
• Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Others)
• Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others)
• Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Others)
• Middle East and Africa

North America exhibits clear dominance in the CTC market due to advanced healthcare systems and increasing cancer immunotherapy demand.

Recent News and Developments in Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Market

• September 2025: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology research team led by Professor Minseok Kim, partnering with University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and CTCELLS, developed automated system simultaneously isolating CTCs and circulating cancer-associated fibroblasts from blood. CTCeptor technology identified at least 15 times more CTCs compared to existing technologies, advancing personalized cancer diagnostics.
• September 2025: Cytogen entered strategic partnership with Ogma to advance regenerative medicine innovations. The collaboration aims to merge essential CTC liquid biopsy technologies with digital health solutions, facilitating collaborative research and development of regenerative medical solutions through global networks.
• May 2025: Guardant Health introduced 11 new Smart Liquid Biopsy applications for Guardant360 Liquid Test, expanding CTC analysis capabilities for comprehensive genomic profiling and treatment monitoring across multiple cancer types with enhanced sensitivity and clinical utility.
• March 2025: City University of Hong Kong launched pioneering research initiative creating advanced technology platform for early cancer detection and tailored treatment. The project focuses on improving CTC identification, leading to major advancements in cancer detection and personalized therapy approaches.
• October 2024: Phase 3 clinical trial partially funded by National Cancer Institute discovered that CTC assessment serves as reliable method forecasting treatment outcomes and survival chances. Study utilized FDA-approved CellSearch liquid biopsy technology at Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center to identify and quantify CTCs in blood samples.

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