Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
5.2
Journals
Cancers
Special Issues
Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients
share announcement

Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 14905

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinical Cooperation Unit Nuclear Medicine, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
Interests: Positron Emission Tomography (PET); Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET-CT); oncological imaging; therapy monitoring; molecular imaging; immunotherapy response; radiogenomics; novel radiolabeled peptides; PET methodology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The importance of immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer patients is increasing and is leading to therapeutic results that are very encouraging. Targeted therapies, like BRAF and MEK inhibitors and the immune checkpoint inhibitors against CTLA-4 and PD-1, have revolutionized the therapeutic approach for aggressive tumors with a very bad prognosis, such as metastatic melanomas and lung carcinomas. CAR-T cell therapy and individualized vaccines are new approaches finding their way to the clinical use with promising results. All these immunotherapies have side effects, which may be severe. Therefore, it is important to stratify patients for each immunotherapy protocol, to monitor the therapeutic effect early in the course of treatment in order to detect non-responders as soon as possible so to tailor the therapy, and to promptly visualize immune-related side effects and treat them.

Molecular imaging approaches have been applied for therapy monitoring in oncological patients for many years, with good results. In particular, PET-CT and PET-MRI are sensitive imaging modalities which are helpful in assessing therapeutic responses earlier than morphologic imaging modalities. Immunotherapy monitoring is challenging and requires new response criteria, as mentioned in several publications. In addition to FDG, dedicated tracers to visualize specific biomarkers related to immunotherapy, such as PD-1 expression, are discussed in the literature. A better understanding of the different response patterns of patients under immunotherapy as well as an appropriate combination of imaging response parameters and other biomarkers including omics data are necessary in order to achieve a holistic approach for the assessment of immunotherapy responses.

The Special Issue “Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients” aims to pool knowledge on the efficacy of PET-CT and PET-MRI using FDG and novel tracers as well as of the combination of imaging data with other biomarkers for the assessment of immunotherapy and targeted therapy responses. All scientists working in this field are cordially invited to submit their manuscripts.

Prof. Dr. Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 6461 KiB  
Article
Fractal and Multifractal Analysis of PET-CT Images for Therapy Assessment of Metastatic Melanoma Patients under PD-1 Inhibitors: A Feasibility Study
by Anastasia Kosmou, Christos Sachpekidis, Leyun Pan, George K. Matsopoulos, Jessica C. Hassel, Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss and Astero Provata
Cancers 2021, 13(20), 5170; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13205170 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1353
Abstract
Longitudinal whole-body PET-CT scans with F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in patients suffering from metastatic melanoma were analyzed and the tracer distribution in patients was compared with that of healthy controls. Nineteen patients with metastatic melanoma were scanned before, after two and after four [...] Read more.
Longitudinal whole-body PET-CT scans with F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in patients suffering from metastatic melanoma were analyzed and the tracer distribution in patients was compared with that of healthy controls. Nineteen patients with metastatic melanoma were scanned before, after two and after four cycles of treatment with PD-1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) applied as monotherapy or as combination treatment with ipilimumab. For comparison eight healthy controls were analyzed. As quantitative measures for the comparison between controls and patients, the nonlinear fractal dimension (FD) and multifractal spectrum (MFS) were calculated from the digitized PET-CT scans. The FD and MFS measures, which capture the dispersion of the tracer in the body, decreased with disease progression, since the tracer particles tended to accumulate around metastatic sites in patients, while the measures increased when the patients’ clinical condition ameliorate. The MFS measure gave better predictions and were consistent with the PET Response Evaluation Criteria for Immunotherapy (PERCIMT) in 81% of the cases, while FD agreed in 77% of all cases. These results agree, qualitatively, with a previous study of our group when treatment with ipilimumab monotherapy was considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 877 KiB  
Article
Complete Metabolic Response in FDG-PET-CT Scan before Discontinuation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Correlates with Long Progression-Free Survival
by Timo E. Schank, Andrea Forschner, Michael Max Sachse, Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss, Christos Sachpekidis, Albrecht Stenzinger, Anna-Lena Volckmar, Alexander Enk and Jessica C. Hassel
Cancers 2021, 13(11), 2616; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13112616 - 26 May 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3033
Abstract
Checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of patients with metastasized melanoma. However, it remains unclear when to stop treatment. We retrospectively analyzed 45 patients (median age 64 years; 58% male) with metastasized melanoma from 3 cancer centers that received checkpoint inhibitors and discontinued [...] Read more.
Checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of patients with metastasized melanoma. However, it remains unclear when to stop treatment. We retrospectively analyzed 45 patients (median age 64 years; 58% male) with metastasized melanoma from 3 cancer centers that received checkpoint inhibitors and discontinued therapy due to either immune-related adverse events or patient decision after an (18F)2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) combined with a low-dose CT scan (FDG-PET-CT) scan without signs for disease progression. After a median of 21 (range 1–42) months of immunotherapy an FDG-PET-CT scan was performed to evaluate disease activity. In these, 32 patients (71%) showed a complete metabolic response (CMR) and 13 were classified as non-CMR. After a median follow-up of 34 (range 1–70) months, 3/32 (9%) of CMR patients and 6/13 (46%) of non-CMR patients had progressed (p = 0.007). Progression-free survival (PFS), as estimated from the date of last drug administration, was significantly longer among CMR patients than non-CMR (log-rank: p = 0.001; hazard ratio: 0.127; 95% CI: 0.032–0.511). Two-year PFS was 94% among CMR patients and 62% among non-CMR patients. Univariable Cox regression showed that metabolic response was the only parameter which predicted PFS (p = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that metabolic response predicted disease progression (p = 0.008). In conclusion, our findings suggest that patients with CMR in an FDG-PET-CT scan may have a favorable outcome even if checkpoint inhibition is discontinued. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 961 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Dynamic 18F-FDG PET/CT in Survival Prediction of Metastatic Melanoma under PD-1 Inhibitors
by Christos Sachpekidis, Jessica C. Hassel, Annette Kopp-Schneider, Uwe Haberkorn and Antonia Dimitrakopoulou-Strauss
Cancers 2021, 13(5), 1019; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13051019 - 1 Mar 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2161
Abstract
The advent of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to unprecedented survival rates in advanced melanoma. At the same time, it has raised relevant challenges in the interpretation of treatment response by conventional imaging approaches. In the present prospective study, we explored the [...] Read more.
The advent of novel immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to unprecedented survival rates in advanced melanoma. At the same time, it has raised relevant challenges in the interpretation of treatment response by conventional imaging approaches. In the present prospective study, we explored the predictive role of quantitative, dynamic 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) performed early during immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma patients receiving treatment with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. Twenty-five patients under PD-1 blockade underwent dynamic and static 18F-FDG PET/CT before the start of treatment (baseline PET/CT) and after the initial two cycles of therapy (interim PET/CT). The impact of semiquantitatively (standardized uptake value, SUV) and quantitatively (based on compartment modeling and fractal analysis) derived PET/CT parameters, both from melanoma lesions and different reference tissues, on progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed. At a median follow-up of 24.2 months, survival analysis revealed that the interim PET/CT parameters SUVmean, SUVmax and fractal dimension (FD) of the hottest melanoma lesions adversely affected PFS, while the parameters FD of the thyroid, as well as SUVmax and k3 of the bone marrow positively affected PFS. The herein presented findings highlight the potential predictive role of quantitative, dynamic, interim PET/CT in metastatic melanoma under PD-1 blockade. Therefore, dynamic PET/CT could be performed in selected oncological cases in combination with static, whole-body PET/CT in order to enhance the diagnostic certainty offered by conventional imaging and yield additional information regarding specific molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms involved in tumor biology and response to treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

19 pages, 2630 KiB  
Review
In Vivo Cell Tracking Using PET: Opportunities and Challenges for Clinical Translation in Oncology
by Laura M. Lechermann, Doreen Lau, Bala Attili, Luigi Aloj and Ferdia A. Gallagher
Cancers 2021, 13(16), 4042; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13164042 - 11 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4793
Abstract
Cell therapy is a rapidly evolving field involving a wide spectrum of therapeutic cells for personalised medicine in cancer. In vivo imaging and tracking of cells can provide useful information for improving the accuracy, efficacy, and safety of cell therapies. This review focuses [...] Read more.
Cell therapy is a rapidly evolving field involving a wide spectrum of therapeutic cells for personalised medicine in cancer. In vivo imaging and tracking of cells can provide useful information for improving the accuracy, efficacy, and safety of cell therapies. This review focuses on radiopharmaceuticals for the non-invasive detection and tracking of therapeutic cells using positron emission tomography (PET). A range of approaches for imaging therapeutic cells is discussed: Direct ex vivo labelling of cells, in vivo indirect labelling of cells by utilising gene reporters, and detection of specific antigens expressed on the target cells using antibody-based radiopharmaceuticals (immuno-PET). This review examines the evaluation of PET imaging methods for therapeutic cell tracking in preclinical cancer models, their role in the translation into patients, first-in-human studies, as well as the translational challenges involved and how they can be overcome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 1267 KiB  
Review
Response Prediction and Evaluation Using PET in Patients with Solid Tumors Treated with Immunotherapy
by Frank J. Borm, Jasper Smit, Daniela E. Oprea-Lager, Maurits Wondergem, John B. A. G. Haanen, Egbert F. Smit and Adrianus J. de Langen
Cancers 2021, 13(12), 3083; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13123083 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2576
Abstract
In multiple malignancies, checkpoint inhibitor therapy has an established role in the first-line treatment setting. However, only a subset of patients benefit from checkpoint inhibition, and as a result, the field of biomarker research is active. Molecular imaging with the use of positron [...] Read more.
In multiple malignancies, checkpoint inhibitor therapy has an established role in the first-line treatment setting. However, only a subset of patients benefit from checkpoint inhibition, and as a result, the field of biomarker research is active. Molecular imaging with the use of positron emission tomography (PET) is one of the biomarkers that is being studied. PET tracers such as conventional 18F-FDG but also PD-(L)1 directed tracers are being evaluated for their predictive power. Furthermore, the use of artificial intelligence is under evaluation for the purpose of response prediction. Response evaluation during checkpoint inhibitor therapy can be challenging due to the different response patterns that can be observed compared to traditional chemotherapy. The additional information provided by PET can potentially be of value to evaluate a response early after the start of treatment and provide the clinician with important information about the efficacy of immunotherapy. Furthermore, the use of PET to stratify between patients with a complete response and those with a residual disease can potentially guide clinicians to identify patients for which immunotherapy can be discontinued and patients for whom the treatment needs to be escalated. This review provides an overview of the use of positron emission tomography (PET) to predict and evaluate treatment response to immunotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Immunotherapy Monitoring Based on PET-CT and PET-MRI in Oncological Patients)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop