18F-fluorothymidine PET/CT as an early predictor of tumor response to treatment with cetuximab in human lung cancer xenografts

Oncol Rep. 2011 Sep;26(3):725-30. doi: 10.3892/or.2011.1338. Epub 2011 Jun 7.

Abstract

We investigated whether 18F-fluorothymidine-positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FLT-PET/CT) is useful for the evaluation of the very early response to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody cetuximab therapy in human lung cancer xenografts. A human tumor xenograft model was established with a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line. The mice were randomly assigned to four groups: tumor growth follow-up, ex vivo study, PET/CT imaging and non-treated control. Mice were administered saline as control or cetuximab on day 1. An immunohistochemical study with Ki-67 was performed. Tumor volume treated with cetuximab was kept significantly smaller than control after day 8, although there was no difference on day 3. On day 3, 18F-FLT distribution was higher in the tumor than in other tissues, and was significantly decreased by treatment with cetuximab. On PET/CT imaging, 18F-FLT distribution in the tumor was clearly visualized, and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) was significantly decreased after treatment with cetuximab (p<0.01). Ki-67 expression was also significantly decreased on day 3 (p=0.01). These results suggest that 18F-FLT-PET/CT can be a useful predictor to determine the response to molecular targeted drugs such as cetuximab at an earlier time point than the change of tumor size.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cetuximab
  • Dideoxynucleosides* / pharmacokinetics
  • Humans
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Tumor Burden

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Dideoxynucleosides
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • alovudine
  • Cetuximab