Calls for Ukraine
Calls for Europe
Calls for USA
X
Calls for Ukraine
Calls for Europe
Calls for USA
Eng
Ultrasound imaging of breast cancer provides non-invasive monitoring of treatment efficacy
In the ongoing battle against triple-negative breast cancer, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a promising noninvasive method for tracking tumors’ response to radiation and immunotherapy that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
While immunotherapy is encouraging, many patients do not respond to existing treatments. A major obstacle has been the ability to predict and track the response of individual tumors to therapy, which has been complicated by the significant heterogeneity seen in different patients, explains Marjan Rafat, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering.
A groundbreaking study published in Theranostics demonstrates how ultrafast energy based Doppler ultrasound can provide crucial insights into the complex vascular interactions in the tumor microenvironment, potentially changing personalized cancer treatment strategies.
“The hallmark of this study is its ability to non-invasively track changes in the tumor that would normally be detected by biopsy or imaging techniques that may not capture the entire response. This ultrasound method provides a way to see how a patient’s tumor is responding to treatment, which can help make clinical decisions faster,” said Shannon Martello, lead author of the paper and a graduate student in Rafat’s Tumor and Tissue Microenvironment Lab.
An interdisciplinary team has developed an innovative approach using ultrafast energy Doppler ultrasound to monitor tumor blood vessels in real time in two models of metastatic and non-metastatic breast cancer. By tracking changes in the blood vessel network, researchers can now gain previously unpredicted insights into how tumors respond to radiation therapy.
Ultrasound measurements revealed a sustained decrease in tumor vascular index after radiation and immune therapy, which correlated with significant infiltration of CD8+ T cells in the tumor. It is these T cells that play a crucial role in immune defense against malignant cells.
The team also found an early increase in the number of splenic CD8+ T cells after irradiation. The spleen serves as a key site for their activation and proliferation against blood-borne pathogens, and also serves an immune system function to kill cancer cells.
“The findings suggest that ultrafast energy Doppler ultrasound may become a critical tool in personalizing cancer treatment. By providing accurate measures of treatment efficacy, physicians will be able to tailor therapies more quickly and accurately,” says Rafat.
Although the study is preliminary, it offers exciting opportunities to improve outcomes for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Monitoring vascular changes to predict response to therapy and changes in the tumor immune landscape may improve outcomes for patients with limited treatment options.
Categories:
News
Published:
Updated:
Medical author, Medical editor:
Medical expert:
All categories:
- Diseases (3)
- Interview (17)
- Medical articles (63)
- News (151)
- War (9)
Do you have any questions?
Get a free consultation from our experts
