Imaging technique detects tumor oxygen levels in prostate cancer

CANCER DIGEST – Aug. 26, 2017 – A new imaging technique using a combination of light and sound to check the oxygen levels in prostate tumors could lead to a non-invasive way to determine how aggressive the cancer is.

Cancer tumors with poor quality blood vessels have low oxygen levels, called hypoxic conditions, which are more resistant to drugs and radiotherapy. Cells in hypoxic conditions are hardier and better at adapting to harsh conditions, according to the researchers. This makes them more aggressive, and the poor quality blood vessels also reduce the number of treatments like chemotherapy that can penetrate the tumor.

With that in mind, the researchers led by Dr. Sarah Bohndiek of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute have shown in mice that the new imaging technique can show how quickly and efficiently oxygen reaches different areas of the tumor. Their study was published this week online ahead of print in Theranostics.

“The tortuous nature of blood vessels can leave tumors starved of oxygen – making the cancer resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy and very difficult to treat," Bohndiek said in a press release. "If we can translate this technology to the clinic, we could provide a non-invasive way to stratify men for treatment and monitor the effect of different therapies.”

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