title: Imaging in early phase childhood cancer trials.
abstract: Advances made in the treatment of childhood malignancies during the last four decades have resulted in overall cure rates of approximately 80%, but progress has slowed significantly during the last 10 years, underscoring the need for more effective and less toxic agents. Current research is focused on development of molecularly targeted agents, an era ushered in with the discovery of imatinib mesylate for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Since imatinib's introduction into the clinic, an increasing number of tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed and entered into clinical trials and practice. Parallel to the initial advances made in molecularly targeted agents has been the development of a spectrum of novel imaging modalities. Future goals for imaging in childhood cancer research thus include (1) patient identification based on target identification or other biologic characteristics of the tumor, (2) assessing pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) effects, and (3) predictive value with an early indication of patient benefit. Development and application of novel imaging modalities for children with cancer can serve to streamline development of molecularly targeted agents.
authors.affiliation: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. adamsonp@upenn.edu
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Adamson
mesh_terms: D001549:Benzamides; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010879:Piperazines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate