Predictive potential of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and plasma-derived angiogenic factors for response to concurrent chemoradiotherapy in human papillomavirus-negative oropharyngeal cancer
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can assess tumour vascularity, which depends on the process of angiogenesis and affects tumour response to treatment. Our study explored the associations between DCE-MRI parameters and the expression of plasma angiogenic factors in human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative oropharyngeal cancer, as well as their predictive value for response to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT). Patients and methods Twenty-five patients with locally advanced HPV-negative oropharyngeal carcinoma were prospectively enrolled in the study. DCE-MRI and blood plasma sampling were conducted before cCRT, after receiving a radiation dose of 20 Gy, and after the completion of cCRT. Perfusion parameters k trans , k ep , V e , initial area under the curve (iAUC) and plasma expression levels of angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], connective tissue growth factor [CTGF], platelet-derived growth factor [PDGF]-AB, angiogenin [ANG], endostatin [END] and thrombospondin-1 [THBS1]) were measured at each time-point. Patients were stratified into responders and non-responders based on clinical evaluation. Differences and correlations between measures were used to generate prognostic models for response prediction. Results Higher perfusion parameter k trans and higher plasma VEGF levels successfully discriminated responders from non-responders across all measured time-points, whereas higher iAUC and higher plasma PDGF-AB levels were also discriminative at selected time points. Using early intra-treatment measurements of k trans and VEGF, a predictive model was created with cut-off values of 0.259 min −1 for k trans and 62.5 pg/mL for plasma VEGF. Conclusions Early intra-treatment DCE-MRI parameter k trans and plasma VEGF levels may be valuable early predictors of response to cCRT in HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer.
Source: Radiology and Oncology
Language: English
Topic: MRI in cancer diagnosis
Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $970
OpenAlex ID: W4402620601