Researchers have developed a new method to better trace changes in cancers and treatment of the prostate and lung without the limitations associated with radiation.

‘Improved imaging agents such as ProCA1.GRPR could help better trace changes in cancers and treatment of the prostate and lung without the limitations associated with radiation. ProCA1.GRPR leads to strong tumor penetration and is capable of targeting the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor expressed on the surface of diseased cells.’

Molecular imaging of cancer predictors using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers better and improved understanding of various cancers, and drug activity during preclinical and clinical treatments. However, one of the major barriers in using MRI in evaluating specific disease predictors for diagnosis and monitoring drug effects is the lack of highly sensitive and specific imaging agents capable of showing the difference between normal tissue and tumors. 




Jenny Yang, lead author on the paper, Distinguished University Professor and associate director of the Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics at Georgia State said, "ProCA1.GRPR has a strong clinical translation for human application and represents a major step forward in the quantitative imaging of disease biomarkers without the use of radiation. This information is valuable for staging disease progression and monitoring treatment effects."
The researchers' results are an important advancement for molecular imaging with a unique ability to quantitatively detect expression level and spatial distribution of disease predictors without using radiation.
Shenghui Xue, co-author on the paper and postdoctoral researcher in Georgia State's Department of Chemistry, said, "Our discovery is of great interest to both chemists and clinicians for disease diagnosis, including noninvasive early detection of human diseases, cancer biology, molecular basis of human diseases and translational research with preclinical and clinical applications."
Improved imaging agents such as ProCA1.GRPR have implications in understanding disease development and treatment.
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