Positron emission tomography molecular imaging to monitor anti-tumor systemic response for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Xiaoqing Xing; Qing Zhao; Jinyun Zhou; Rui Zhou; Yu Liu; Xiyi Qin; Mingrong Zhang; Yan Zhong; Jing Wang; Mei Tian; Hong Zhang

doi:10.1007/s00259-022-06084-1

Positron emission tomography molecular imaging to monitor anti-tumor systemic response for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2023 May;50(6):1671-1688. doi: 10.1007/s00259-022-06084-1. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

Authors

Xiaoqing Xing^{1

2

3}, Qing Zhao^{1

2

3}, Jinyun Zhou^{1

2

3}, Rui Zhou^{1

2

3}, Yu Liu^{1

2

3}, Xiyi Qin^{1

2

3}, Mingrong Zhang⁴, Yan Zhong^{5

6

7}, Jing Wang^{8

9

10}, Mei Tian^{11

12

13

14}, Hong Zhang^{15

16

17

18

19}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China.
² Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Advanced Nuclear Medicine Sciences, Institute of Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan.
⁵ Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China. yanzhong@zju.edu.cn.
⁶ Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. yanzhong@zju.edu.cn.
⁷ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. yanzhong@zju.edu.cn.
⁸ Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China. wangjing5678@zju.edu.cn.
⁹ Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. wangjing5678@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁰ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. wangjing5678@zju.edu.cn.
¹¹ Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China. meitian@zju.edu.cn.
¹² Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. meitian@zju.edu.cn.
¹³ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. meitian@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁴ Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, China. meitian@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁵ Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China. hzhang21@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁶ Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. hzhang21@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁷ Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. hzhang21@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁸ College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. hzhang21@zju.edu.cn.
¹⁹ Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. hzhang21@zju.edu.cn.

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) achieve a milestone in cancer treatment. Despite the great success of ICI, ICI therapy still faces a big challenge due to heterogeneity of tumor, and therapeutic response is complicated by possible immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Therefore, it is critical to assess the systemic immune response elicited by ICI therapy to guide subsequent treatment regimens. Positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging is an optimal approach in cancer diagnosis, treatment effect evaluation, follow-up, and prognosis prediction. PET imaging can monitor metabolic changes of immunocytes and specifically identify immuno-biomarkers to reflect systemic immune responses. Here, we briefly review the application of PET molecular imaging to date of systemic immune responses following ICI therapy and the associated rationale.

Keywords: Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Immune response; Immune-related adverse events (irAEs); Positron emission tomography (PET).

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* / pharmacology
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* / therapeutic use
Molecular Imaging
Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Positron-Emission Tomography
Radioimmunotherapy

Substances

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors