Validation of functional imaging as a biomarker for radiation treatment response

• Published in: British journal of radiology Vol. 88; no. 1051; p. 20150014
• Main Authors: Jentsch, C, Beuthien-Baumann, B, Troost, E G C, Shakirin, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The British Institute of Radiology 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - physiopathology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - radiotherapy; Diagnostic Imaging; Head and Neck Neoplasms - diagnosis; Head and Neck Neoplasms - physiopathology; Head and Neck Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - diagnosis; Lung Neoplasms - physiopathology; Lung Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Molecular Imaging; Nuclear medicine/PET; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiotherapy and Oncology; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0007-1285; 1748-880X
• DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20150014

Major advances in radiotherapy techniques, increasing knowledge of tumour biology and the ability to translate these advances into new therapeutic approaches are important goals towards more individualized cancer treatment. With the development of non-invasive functional and molecular imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET)-CT scanning and MRI, there is now a need to evaluate potential new biomarkers for tumour response prediction, for treatment individualization is not only based on morphological criteria but also on biological tumour characteristics. The goal of individualization of radiotherapy is to improve treatment outcome and potentially reduce chronic treatment toxicity. This review gives an overview of the molecular and functional imaging modalities of tumour hypoxia and tumour cell metabolism, proliferation and perfusion as predictive biomarkers for radiation treatment response in head and neck tumours and in lung tumours. The current status of knowledge on integration of PET/CT/MRI into treatment management and bioimage-guided adaptive radiotherapy are discussed.