2016 MIPS Molecular Imaging Seminar Series

Omega-3 fatty acid treatment has been associated with a reduction of post-MI mortality but these cardiovascular benefits was not seen in patients who received current guideline supported treatments. In this randomized control trial, we explored the potential benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids at a 4 g/day dose and used cardiovascular magnetic resonance to quantify for changes in cardiac functions and tissue characteristics.

The transformation of a normal cell to a malignant one is generally considered to be the key event in the cancer disease process. This has resulted in the present emphasis on early detection and elimination of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells as a primary method of cancer prevention. This approach has been successful in reducing deaths from some cancers, but there are concerns about the harm from overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Also, early detection has not been possible for many cancers and the overall cancer mortality rate continues to be high. An alternative model of cancer is the immune suppression model of cancer, according to which the key event in the carcinogenic process is the suppression of the immune system, which enables the already existing pre-cancerous and/or cancerous cells to grow uncontrollably. Much evidence supports this model of cancer. Using this model, the primary mode of cancer prevention/treatment would be boosting of the immune system. Considerable evidence is available showing the reduction of cancers from the enhancement of the immune system through exercise, infection, and low-dose radiation (LDR). There are however practical issues in utilizing these methods for reducing cancers. It is well known that compliance with exercise prescription is generally not good. Use of infection, though it has shown promising results in treating cancers decades ago, is difficult to use in a reproducible manner. With regard to LDR, the present acceptance of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model for radiation safety is a major hindrance to its use. Campaigns are underway to discontinue the use of the LNT model. If these campaigns are successful, prospective clinical trials utilizing LDR for cancer prevention and treatment would become feasible. Good outcomes in such clinical trials can result in a new cancer prevention paradigm, with LDR being used as a primary method of cancer prevention. Any cancers detected with cancer screening programs would be treated with LDR which has few side effects and so overdiagnosis/overtreatment would not be of as much of concern. For cancers that are not eliminated by the LDR treatments, the current cancer treatment methods (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, etc.) would be used. This change in the paradigm of cancer prevention and treatment may result in significant reduction in cancer incidence, cancer treatment side effects, and cancer mortality rates.

TBA

Tumor stroma is characterized by the presence of a large number of cancer associated fibroblasts, macrophages, endothelial cells, and other immune cells. These cells are often present in aberrantly high numbers in tumor microenvironment that are distinctly different from normal cells. Targeting stroma cells proves a unique opportunity for cancer imaging and therapy. We have exploited the use of nanoparticles and imaging probes directed at cancer associated fibroblasts and macrophages for imaging therapy-induced cell death, assessing host response to tumor progression and suppression, and potentiation of conventional chemoradiotherapy. This work will be presented and discussed in the context of pancreatic cancer and ovarian cancer, and inflammatory diseases.