Repurposed radiotracer lights up treatment-resistant tumors 'like a Christmas tree'
A repurposed PET radiotracer could improve treatment outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer, according to new data published Tuesday in Nature Communications.
According to the study, the radiotracer is especially beneficial for tumors that are treatment resistant. Experts involved in its development indicate that treatment resistant tumors “lit up like a Christmas tree” when the tracer was used in clinical testing. Researchers suggest that it could represent a significant step forward in managing lung cancer treatment plans, potentially improving outcomes by enabling providers to adjust regimens much earlier than they have been able to previously.
“Currently, there is no quick and early method that shows whether malignant tumors are resistant to treatment,” lead researcher Tim Witney, a professor of molecular imaging from King’s College London, notes. “Time is essential for patients with lung cancer, and many cannot afford to wait to see if chemotherapy is working. We wanted to increase the window of opportunity for treatment for these patients—giving them more choices and a better chance of survival.”
The team focused its efforts on mutations of the NRF2-KEAP1 pathway, which are common in both non-small cell lung cancer and treatment resistance. Currently, there is no way to identify NRF2 activation in living subjects, the group noted.
For the study, researchers re-engineered the system xc− radiotracer, [18F]FSPG, which is currently used in clinical trials in the United States and South Korea to study treatment resistant tumors. In the current study using mouse models, the team found that treatment resistant tumors lit up brighter than responsive tumors when the tracer was injected.
“Our study is the cumulation of five years of work. Frequently, cancer patients find out too late that the treatment they’re on does not work,” Whitney explains. “The radiotracer 18F-FSPG binds to the tumor-resistant cells and lights up like a Christmas tree in imaging—clearly showing the aggressive cancer. With this technique, we can give the right treatment to the right patient, making it more cost-efficient for the NHS and providing hope for patients with aggressive tumors.”
The next phase of the research will focus on a small group of human participants. That is set to start in January at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.
Learn more about the study here.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.