Imaging Cellular Proliferation During Chemo-Radiotherapy: A Pilot Study of Serial 18F-FLT Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging for Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Monitoring Tumor Response to Therapy with 18F-FLT PET

“…Alternatively, 18 F-FLT uptake might be influenced by factors other than proliferation, such as changes in vascular permeability or perfusion. Finally, a temporary rise in 18 F-FLT uptake has been reported in lung cancer patients receiving chemoradiation (26).…”

PET Imaging of Proliferation with Pyrimidines

“…18 F-FLT uptake in primary site and lymph nodes was same as in surrounding muscle (SUVs of 0.93, 0.9, and 0.9, respectively) at 4 wk after completion of treatment, whereas increased uptake of 18 observed in tumors sensitive to erlotinib combined with Bcl-x inhibitor in preclinical studies (75). Changes in 18 F-FLT retention have been seen in lung cancer soon after the start of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (76) and have led to testing pharmacokinetic parameters in lung tumors. A compartmental model analysis performed on 18 tumors in 17 patients found overall flux constants K ( 18 F-FLT) highly correlated with Ki-67 (r 5 0.92, P , 0.001) (77).…”

Increase of [18F]FLT Tumor Uptake In Vivo Mediated by FdUrd: Toward Improving Cell Proliferation Positron Emission Tomography

“…However, nonspecific incorporation can be observed in proliferating macrophages in inflammatory lesions [8]. It also appears to predict outcome after chemotherapy [9], radiotherapy [10] as well as progression and overall survival of patients with brain tumors [11]. Moreover, in breast cancer [12] and in high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma [13], early change in [ 18 F]FLT uptake, immediately after initiation of chemotherapy predicts tumor response to treatment.…”