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Updated: Oct 22, 2025
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: February 6, 2015
Monitoring cancer cell surface receptor expression during anti-angiogenesis therapy in vivo
Boyu Meng1, Rendall R Strawbridge1, Kenneth Tichauer2
1Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755.
Abstract:
Concurrent administration of cancer therapeutics with tumor vasculature targeting treatment has been shown to improve overall survival in multiple human cancer types, as such combinations aim to destroy different compartments of tumors. Anti-angiogenesis therapeutics designed to inhibit tumor induced vessel sprouting have also been shown to re-model the tumor vasculature through a transient vessel normalization effect, which leads to improved perfusion of oxygen and drug in tumor. However, the effects that this normalized vasculature has on the availability of cancer receptor, such as EGFR, is unknown. Herein, we examined the use of MRI-PAFT to estimate cancer surface receptor availability in response to anti-angiogenesis therapy, using MRI-coupled paired agent fluorescence tomography. Bevacizumab treated tumors showed increase in RA compared to control tumors, but this was not statistically significant.
Insights
Anti-angiogenesis therapy may alter tumor vasculature, affecting cancer receptor availability. This study used MRI-PAFT to assess receptor changes but found no significant differences in bevacizumab-treated tumors compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Imaging
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Concurrent cancer treatments targeting tumor vasculature and therapeutics improve survival by attacking different tumor compartments.
- Anti-angiogenesis therapies can normalize tumor vasculature, enhancing oxygen and drug delivery.
- The impact of vascular normalization on cancer surface receptor availability, like epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of anti-angiogenesis therapy on cancer surface receptor availability.
- To evaluate the utility of MRI-coupled paired agent fluorescence tomography (MRI-PAFT) for estimating receptor availability in tumors undergoing anti-angiogenesis treatment.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MRI-coupled paired agent fluorescence tomography (MRI-PAFT) to estimate cancer surface receptor availability.
- Administered bevacizumab as an anti-angiogenesis therapy to tumors.
- Compared receptor availability in bevacizumab-treated tumors to control tumors.
Main Results:
- Bevacizumab treatment led to an observed increase in receptor availability (RA) in tumors compared to control groups.
- The increase in receptor availability was not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- MRI-PAFT can be used to assess changes in cancer surface receptor availability in response to anti-angiogenesis therapy.
- While bevacizumab showed a trend towards increasing receptor availability, further studies are needed to confirm statistical significance and clinical relevance.
