The precise tailoring of tumor target treatment for patients with cancer is an unmet challenge. The goal is to only administer treatments that have a high probability of being effective. Modern cancer care is critically dependent on imaging technologies, which are used to detect tumors early, when they are easier to treat, and to guide therapy or surgery.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and EGFR inhibitors have become key components of therapies for several tumor types. Close relationships between these two factors exist: VEGF signaling is up-regulated by EGFR expression and, conversely, VEGF up-regulation independent of EGFR signaling seems to contribute to resistance to EGFR inhibition. Therefore, inhibition of both pathways could improve anti-tumor efficacy and overcome resistance to EGFR inhibition.
A research article to be published in the December 7 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team, led by Dr. Sun from Minnan PET Center, used FDG PET/CT to monitor early responses, followed by EGF-receptor antibody (Cetuximab) plus recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) treatment.
One conclusion reported by the investigators is that molecular imaging could monitor molecular treatment, and that the combination of EGFR-specific antibodies with VEGF-specific antibodies may be a promising combination for palliative treatment.
Another interesting conclusion is the potential of this novel approach to anticancer therapy. Monitoring responses algorithm by PET/CT will be elucidated by large, ongoing clinical trials. Molecular imaging continues to tell us the exciting results of molecular therapy for cancer.
Reference: Sun L, Ye HY, Zhang YH, Guan YS, Wu H. Epidermal growth factor receptor antibody plus recombinant human endostatin in treatment of hepatic metastases after remnant gastric cancer resection. World J Gastroenterol 2007; 13(45): 6115-6118
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/6115.asp
Correspondence to: Dr. Long Sun, Minnan PET Center, The First Hospital of Xiamen, Fujian Medical University, Xiamen 316003, Fujian Province, China. long.d.sun@163.com
Telephone: +86-592-2139527 Fax: +86-592-2139527
About World Journal of Gastroenterology
World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection for providing a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2003-2000 IF: 3.318, 2.532, 1.445 and 0.993. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. The WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.
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World Journal of Gastroenterology