Cancers: Molecular Imaging and Therapy

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Methods and Technologies Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2024) | Viewed by 6284

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Dean’s Office, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
2. Department of Radiology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
Interests: molecular imaging and therapy; positron emission tomography; cancer care inequities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a new Special Issue entitled ‘Molecular Imaging and Therapy’, to be published in Cancers, comprising a collection of articles from leading international experts on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and radiopharmaceutical therapies for human solid tumours/cancers. The field of ‘Theranostics’, which is based on diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical agents, is transforming the landscape of oncological imaging, promoting the development of treatments outside of conventional surgery/chemotherapy/radiation therapy and improving patient outcomes. This Special Issue aims to provide an updated overview of the evolving field of theranostics and discuss novel biomarkers, therapy approaches, opportunities and challenges in this exciting field encompassing cancer biology, imaging and therapy.

Prof. Dr. Subramaniam Rathan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • PET/CT
  • theranostics
  • prostate cancer
  • neuroendocrine tumors
  • 68Ga FAPI
  • 68Ga DOTATATE /18F DOTATATE
  • 68Ga PSMA /18F PSMA
  • 177Lu DOTATATE / 177Lu PSMA
  • 225Ac DOTATATE / 222Ac PSMA

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1001 KiB  
Article
Dosimetry of a Novel 111Indium-Labeled Anti-P-Cadherin Monoclonal Antibody (FF-21101) in Non-Human Primates
by Gregory Ravizzini, William Erwin, Louis De Palatis, Lucia Martiniova, Vivek Subbiah, Vincenzo Paolillo, Jennifer Mitchell, Asa P. McCoy, Jose Gonzalez and Osama Mawlawi
Cancers 2023, 15(18), 4532; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15184532 - 13 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1226
Abstract
P-cadherin is associated with a wide range of tumor types, making it an attractive therapeutic target. FF-21101 is a human–mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against human P-cadherin, which has been radioconjugated with indium-111 (111In) utilizing a DOTA chelator. We investigated [...] Read more.
P-cadherin is associated with a wide range of tumor types, making it an attractive therapeutic target. FF-21101 is a human–mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against human P-cadherin, which has been radioconjugated with indium-111 (111In) utilizing a DOTA chelator. We investigated the biodistribution of FF-21101(111In) in cynomolgus macaques and extrapolated the results to estimate internal radiation doses of 111In- and yttrium-90 (90Y)-FF-21101 for targeted radioimmunotherapy in humans. Whole-body planar and SPECT imaging were performed at 0, 2, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h post-injection, using a dual-head gamma camera. Volumes of interest of identifiable source organs of radioactivity were defined on aligned reference CT and serial SPECT images. Organs with the highest estimated dose values (mSv/MBq) for FF-21101(111In) were the lungs (0.840), spleen (0.816), liver (0.751), kidneys (0.629), and heart wall (0.451); and for FF-21101(90Y) dose values were: lungs (10.49), spleen (8.21), kidneys (5.92), liver (5.46), and heart wall (2.61). FF-21101(111In) exhibits favorable biodistribution in cynomolgus macaques and estimated human dosimetric characteristics. Data obtained in this study were used to support the filing of an investigational new drug application with the FDA for a Phase I clinical trial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancers: Molecular Imaging and Therapy)
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14 pages, 2481 KiB  
Article
A Subset of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Pemetrexed Show 18F-Fluorothymidine “Flare” on Positron Emission Tomography
by Preetha Aravind, Sanjay Popat, Tara D. Barwick, Neil Soneji, Mark Lythgoe, Katherina B. Sreter, Jingky P. Lozano-Kuehne, Mattias Bergqvist, Neva Patel, Eric O. Aboagye and Laura M. Kenny
Cancers 2023, 15(14), 3718; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15143718 - 22 Jul 2023
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Abstract
Thymidylate synthase (TS) remains a major target for cancer therapy. TS inhibition elicits increases in DNA salvage pathway activity, detected as a transient compensatory “flare” in 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography (18F-FLT PET). We determined the magnitude of the 18 [...] Read more.
Thymidylate synthase (TS) remains a major target for cancer therapy. TS inhibition elicits increases in DNA salvage pathway activity, detected as a transient compensatory “flare” in 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine positron emission tomography (18F-FLT PET). We determined the magnitude of the 18F-FLT flare in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with the antifolate pemetrexed in relation to clinical outcome. Method: Twenty-one patients with advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) scheduled to receive palliative pemetrexed ± platinum-based chemotherapy underwent 18F-FLT PET at baseline and 4 h after initiating single-agent pemetrexed. Plasma deoxyuridine (dUrd) levels and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) activity were measured before each scan. Patients were then treated with the combination therapy. The 18F-FLT PET variables were compared to RECIST 1.1 and overall survival (OS). Results: Nineteen patients had evaluable PET scans at both time points. A total of 32% (6/19) of patients showed 18F-FLT flares (>20% change in SUVmax-wsum). At the lesion level, only one patient had an FLT flare in all the lesions above (test–retest borders). The remaining had varied uptake. An 18F-FLT flare occurred in all lesions in 1 patient, while another patient had an 18F-FLT reduction in all lesions; 17 patients showed varied lesion uptake. All patients showed global TS inhibition reflected in plasma dUrd levels (p < 0.001) and 18F-FLT flares of TS-responsive normal tissues including small bowel and bone marrow (p = 0.004 each). Notably, 83% (5/6) of patients who exhibited 18F-FLT flares were also RECIST responders with a median OS of 31 m, unlike patients who did not exhibit 18F-FLT flares (15 m). Baseline plasma TK1 was prognostic of survival but its activity remained unchanged following treatment. Conclusions: The better radiological response and longer survival observed in patients with an 18F-FLT flare suggest the efficacy of the tracer as an indicator of the early therapeutic response to pemetrexed in NSCLC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancers: Molecular Imaging and Therapy)
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Review

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26 pages, 841 KiB  
Review
Recent Pre-Clinical Advancements in Nuclear Medicine: Pioneering the Path to a Limitless Future
by William Echavidre, Daniel Fagret, Marc Faraggi, Vincent Picco and Christopher Montemagno
Cancers 2023, 15(19), 4839; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15194839 - 3 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1882
Abstract
The theranostic approach in oncology holds significant importance in personalized medicine and stands as an exciting field of molecular medicine. Significant achievements have been made in this field in recent decades, particularly in treating neuroendocrine tumors using 177-Lu-radiolabeled somatostatin analogs and, more recently, [...] Read more.
The theranostic approach in oncology holds significant importance in personalized medicine and stands as an exciting field of molecular medicine. Significant achievements have been made in this field in recent decades, particularly in treating neuroendocrine tumors using 177-Lu-radiolabeled somatostatin analogs and, more recently, in addressing prostate cancer through prostate-specific-membrane-antigen targeted radionuclide therapy. The promising clinical results obtained in these indications paved the way for the further development of this approach. With the continuous discovery of new molecular players in tumorigenesis, the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals, and the potential combination of theranostics agents with immunotherapy, nuclear medicine is poised for significant advancements. The strategy of theranostics in oncology can be categorized into (1) repurposing nuclear medicine agents for other indications, (2) improving existing radiopharmaceuticals, and (3) developing new theranostics agents for tumor-specific antigens. In this review, we provide an overview of theranostic development and shed light on its potential integration into combined treatment strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancers: Molecular Imaging and Therapy)
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18 pages, 4180 KiB  
Review
Current Status of Radiolabeled Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting PSMA for Imaging and Therapy
by Mohammed Abusalem, Lucia Martiniova, Sarita Soebianto, Louis DePalatis and Gregory Ravizzini
Cancers 2023, 15(18), 4537; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15184537 - 13 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1551
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancer diagnoses among men in the United States and in several other developed countries. The prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been recognized as a promising molecular target in PCa, which has led to [...] Read more.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent cancer diagnoses among men in the United States and in several other developed countries. The prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has been recognized as a promising molecular target in PCa, which has led to the development of specific radionuclide-based tracers for imaging and radiopharmaceuticals for PSMA targeted therapy. These compounds range from small molecule ligands to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Monoclonal antibodies play a crucial role in targeting cancer cell-specific antigens with a high degree of specificity while minimizing side effects to normal cells. The same mAb can often be labeled in different ways, such as with radionuclides suitable for imaging with Positron Emission Tomography (β+ positrons), Gamma Camera Scintigraphy (γ photons), or radiotherapy (β− electrons, α-emitters, or Auger electrons). Accordingly, the use of radionuclide-based PSMA-targeting compounds in molecular imaging and therapeutic applications has significantly grown in recent years. In this article, we will highlight the latest developments and prospects of radiolabeled mAbs that target PSMA for the detection and treatment of prostate cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancers: Molecular Imaging and Therapy)
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