On July 25, 2026, Cui Baiping, Li Mingyu, Zhou Pingzhu, Cheow Lihfeng, Ma Hailong, Liu Dongdong published an article online in iMetaMed , titled "Minimally Invasive Sampling for Molecular Profiling of Lymph Nodes Using a Modified Acupuncture Needle."
Current clinical liquid biopsy approaches predominantly rely on blood-derived biomarkers, which are often limited by suboptimal sensitivity. A paradigm shift toward lymphatic system-based biomarker analysis could offer a robust alternative to address these challenges. This proposition is grounded in a key scientific insight: according to the Revised Starling Principle, lymphatic vessels, rather than veins, absorb the majority of interstitial fluid in most tissues, providing a rich reservoir of biomarkers. Collectively, these findings indicate that lymphatic-derived biomarkers may offer distinct advantages for the molecular assessment of lymph node metastasis risk.
However, accessing biomarkers directly from the lymphatic system remains technically challenging due to the lack of minimally invasive sampling techniques. To bridge this gap, the research team developed a novel minimally invasive platform, His@PDA@Needle, designed for the collection and molecular profiling of DNA biomarkers from lymph nodes.
The performance of this platform was preliminarily validated in mouse footpad xenograft models, as well as in lymph node samples derived from patients with head and neck cancer. Compared with conventional lymph node biopsy, this DNA sampling approach is significantly less invasive. Importantly, it is intended to serve as a molecular profiling tool to complement existing histopathological evaluations, rather than a standalone tool for direct clinical diagnosis.
Schematic illustration of the preparation of His@PDA@Needle, a modified acupuncture needle designed for minimally invasive sampling of lymph node-derived DNA for molecular profiling.
Experimental study
Human tissue samples
Minimally Invasive Sampling for Molecular Profiling of Lymph Nodes Using a Modified Acupuncture Needle
25-Jul-2026
Dongdong Liu of this publication have a patent related to the research disclosed in this manuscript. [Application number: 202510337544.5] The authors declare no other competing interests.