Protocol on Tissue Preparation and Measurement of Tumor Stiffness in Primary and Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Samples with an Atomic Force Microscope

Tumors have complex microenvironments that provide not only biochemical but also mechanical cues to the cells within. In particular, tumor stiffness has been shown to regulate tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Understanding how the mechanical microenvironment controls cell behavior could be key to unraveling new therapeutic approaches. Here, we describe a protocol to prepare primary and metastatic human colorectal cancer samples and measure tumor stiffness at the tissue level using an atomic force microscope in spectroscopy mode. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Shen et al. (2020).