Application of Deuteporfin in the Metastatic Lymph Node Mapping of Pancreatic Cancer: An in vivo Study

Abstract

For most cancer patients, the presence of metastatic lymph nodes usually indicates regional recurrence and poor prognosis. Therefore, lymph node mapping is a requisite for disease staging, prognosis prediction and decision making in the treatment of cancer. Deuteporfin, a second-generation photosensitizer, has a maximum excitation wavelength that can reach the near infrared (NIR) region (650-700 nm). We aimed to take advantage of these aspects of deuteporfin and use it as a fluorescent probe for metastatic lymph node mapping in vivo using NIR fluorescent imaging. In our study, we further investigated whether a photosensitizer could be used as a tracer for metastatic lymph node mapping of pancreatic cancer based on previous reports. Compared to normal tissues, tumor tissues including primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes had a higher uptake ability of deuteporfin (P < 0.05). Our research confirmed this targeting property of deuteporfin using in vivo fluorescent imaging. Consistent with observations from in vivo imaging experiments, frozen sections of metastatic lymph nodes intuitively displayed significantly higher and wider distributions of deuteporfin than normal sections.

Microscopic lymphovascular invasion is an independent predictor of survival in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

“…LVI should correlate with the presence of regional lymph node metastases, since cancer cell migration through microscopic lymphatic vessels is likely the principal mechanism of spread from the primary lesion to regional lymph node basins. Lymph node mapping studies of pancreatic and other cancers support this claim . Indeed, regional lymph node metastases were present in the large majority of cases where LVI was observed (85.8%), and present in just 48.0% of the LVI‐ PDA cases ( P < 0.001, Table ).…”

“…Lymph node mapping studies of pancreatic and other cancers support this claim. [22][23][24][25][26][27] Indeed, regional lymph node metastases were present in the large majority of cases where LVI was observed (85.8%), and present in just 48.0% of the LVI-PDA cases (P < 0.001, Table 2). The two pathologic features correlated with each other, with a calculated Pearson coefficient of R = 0.406.…”

Antitumor immune responses induced by photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy: a narrative review

“…[30] Deuteporfin is an innovative drug developed by a Chinese research group for PDT in antitumor treatment, and is currently undergoing phase II clinical studies. [31] Temoporfin was approved for PDT in Europe in 2001, with a focus on head and neck tumors. [32] Table 1 summarizes several photosensitizers used in antitumor therapy.…”

Triple-functional albumin-based nanoparticles for combined chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy of pancreatic cancer with lymphatic metastases

“…The model for metastatic lymph nodes was established as previously reported by our group. 8 Studies were performed on these mice ~6 weeks after inoculation when the popliteal lymph nodes could be touched by hand.…”

“…5 Therefore, it is of vital importance to identify new strategy to locate the sentinel lymph node (SLN), which is the first target in early-stage cancer metastases, and then eradicate metastatic cancer cells in this SLN to prevent further cancer metastases. [6][7][8] Theranostic nanomedicine, being capable of diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring drug delivery and distribution, has received growing interests recently. [9][10][11][12] Up to now, multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) in the field of anticancer, such as the combination of diagnosis and therapy, have been intensively developed and achieved great significances.…”