CTCs can be directly extracted from the bloodstream using methods such as intravascular CTC-catching guidewires coated with EpCAM-directed antibodies, as exemplified by the CellCollector device from GILUPI in Germany.166 When combined with antigen-dependent selection, cytopheresis facilitates the enrichment of cell fractions from vast blood volumes and offers promise for the isolation of CTCs.167 The adoption of this approach into routine clinical practice may pose challenges due to its lengthy and invasive nature, alongside potential vascular health issues in heavily treated cancer patients. This evidence concerns the gene EPCAM and cancer.