Figure 1:

A schematic showing the effect of DF patterns on endothelial GCX and circulating cancer cell attachment to the endothelium. A. Cancer cells within the primary tumor gain migratory properties and leave the primary tumor, intravasate through a nearby blood vessel, enter the bulk flow, and B. form secondary tumor sites in distant organs including the lungs. C. Geometric changes within the blood vessel results in different flow patterns. D. UF regions of blood vessels are known to have intact GCX resulting in the inability of CTC to attach to the endothelium. E. Branched areas will produce DF; we hypothesize that this DF will result in degradation of the endothelial GCX enhancing attachment of CTC to the endothelium.