Molecular imaging of immune checkpoints in oncology: Current and future applications

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Molecular Imaging
• Radiochemistry

Background:

• Immune checkpoint (IC) blockade therapy is a primary cancer treatment.
• Low response rates and acquired drug resistance limit the clinical use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).
• Current immunohistochemical techniques for assessing ICs have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current status and recent advances in molecular imaging of immune checkpoints.
• To highlight the potential of molecular imaging to complement existing diagnostic methods for ICIs.
• To discuss applications in both preclinical and clinical studies for first- and next-generation ICs.

Main Methods:

• Review of preclinical and clinical studies utilizing nuclide molecular imaging.
• Focus on non-invasive, whole-body visualization of in vivo IC dynamic biodistribution.
• Comparison of molecular imaging with traditional immunohistochemical techniques.

Main Results:

• Nuclide molecular imaging provides non-invasive visualization of ICs and their biodistribution.
• Molecular imaging can predict and monitor patient responses to ICIs.
• Advances cover both first-generation and next-generation immune checkpoints.

Conclusions:

• Molecular imaging of ICs is a valuable tool for cancer immunotherapy.
• It offers a complementary approach to immunohistochemistry for predicting and monitoring ICI efficacy.
• Further research and clinical translation are warranted to optimize its application.