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Diffusion-Weighted MRI Is Insensitive to Changes in the Tumor Microenvironment Induced by Antiangiogenic Therapy

Anette Hauge1, Catherine S Wegner1, Jon-Vidar Gaustad1

  • 1Group of Radiation Biology and Tumor Physiology, Department of Radiation Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

Translational Oncology
|July 24, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) cannot detect antiangiogenic treatment effects on tumors. This study found DW-MRI insensitive to changes in tumor vascularity and oxygenation, despite significant decreases in microvascular density and increases in hypoxia.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Radiology
  • Biomedical Imaging

Background:

  • Antiangiogenic treatment (AAT) combined with radiation or chemotherapy shows promise for cancer therapy.
  • AAT significantly alters tumor vascularity and oxygenation, necessitating noninvasive monitoring methods.
  • Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) is a potential noninvasive technique for assessing these microenvironmental changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of DW-MRI in monitoring AAT-induced changes in tumor microenvironment.
  • To assess if DW-MRI can detect alterations in tumor vascularity and oxygenation.

Main Methods:

  • DW-MRI was performed on cervical and pancreatic carcinoma xenografts treated with bevacizumab or sunitinib.
  • Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were calculated using a monoexponential diffusion model.
  • Tumor hypoxia (HFPim) and microvascular density (MVD) were quantified via immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

  • AAT significantly decreased MVD and increased HFPim in treated tumors.
  • No significant differences were observed in ADC maps between treated and control tumors across all models.
  • DW-MRI failed to detect AAT-induced changes in tumor vascularity and oxygenation.

Conclusions:

  • DW-MRI is insensitive to microenvironmental changes in tumors induced by bevacizumab or sunitinib.
  • Current DW-MRI techniques are inadequate for monitoring the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapies in these models.
  • Further research is needed to develop MRI methods capable of detecting AAT-induced tumor microenvironment modifications.

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