Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the detection and/or characterization of circulating tumour cells, in a biological sample from a patient suffering from solid cancer, which can release or secrete in vitro one or more tumour markers. The inventive method consists in: (i) depositing a known quantity of the aforementioned cells at the bottom of a culture surface to which at least one specific binding partner of the tumour marker(s) is fixed, (ii) cultivating said cells in conditions such that they release or secrete the aforementioned tumour markers which are immunocaptured at the bottom of the culture surface, (iii) eliminating the cells by washing, (iv) adding at least one specific labelled conjugate of said tumour markers, and (v) viewing the lablelling thus obtained.