Relationship between cancer cell proliferation, tumour angiogenesis and 201Tl uptake in non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether 201Tl uptake is associated with cell proliferation and angiogenesis in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).


METHODS
Eighty-four patients with scheduled NSCLC underwent 201Tl single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging: 15 min (early scan) and 240 min (delayed scan) after intravenous injection of 111 MBq of 201Tl chloride. 201Tl indices were calculated on early images (early ratio: ER) and delayed images (delayed ratio: DR). The retention index (RI) was also calculated from these two parameters. Using surgically resected cancer specimens (54 adenocarcinoma, 24 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), six large-cell carcinoma), immunohistochemical stains for both Ki-67 (MIB-1 index) and CD34 were performed to examine the proliferative activity and the micro-vessel density (MVD), respectively.


RESULTS
The mean value of 201Tl index was 1.69+/-0.77 (ER) and 2.31+/-1.08 (DR). The average RI was 42.6+/-42.9%, respectively. Both DR and RI positively correlated with MIB-1 index (r = 0.68, P < 0.05 and r = 0.52, P < 0.05). When we analyse adenocarcinoma and SCC separately, there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.05) between RI and MIB-1 index in adenocarcinoma but not in SCC (r = 0.20, P = NS). The value of ER positively correlated with MVD (r = 0.75, P < 0.05). It demonstrated strong positive correlation with both histological types (adenocarcinoma: r = 0.80, P < 0.05, SCC: r = 0.66, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
201Tl SPECT imaging is effective non-invasive method for assessing both the proliferation and the angiogenesis in NSCLC. Both DR and RI are useful indicators for assessing cancer cell proliferation in lung adenocarcinoma. ER is a useful marker for assessing the tumour angiogenesis in NSCLC.
Fujita
Seigo
S
Department of Radiology, Miyazaki Medical College, Japan. fujita@fujimoto.or.jp
Nagamachi
Shigeki
S
Nishii
Ryuichi
R
Wakamatsu
Hideyuki
H
Futami
Shigemi
S
Tamura
Shozo
S
Matsuzaki
Yasunori
Y
Onizuka
Toshio
T
Hatakeyama
Kinta
K
Asada
Yujiro
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013793:Thallium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C027549:thallium chloride; D013793:Thallium