title: Pilot study of (89)Zr-bevacizumab positron emission tomography in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate whether the uptake of (89)Zr-bevacizumab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors could be visualized and quantified. The correlation between tumor (89)Zr-bevacizumab uptake and tumor response to antitumor therapy with a bevacizumab-based regimen was explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven NSCLC patients underwent static PET scans at days 4 and 7 after injection of 36.4 ± 0.9 MBq (mean ± SD) (89)Zr-bevacizumab, prior to commencing carboplatin-paclitaxel-bevacizumab chemotherapy (CPB). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) to CPB followed by bevacizumab maintenance therapy was correlated to tumor tracer uptake, quantified using peak standardized uptake values (SUVpeak).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Zr-bevacizumab uptake (SUVpeak) was approximately four times higher in tumor tissues (primary tumor and metastases) than in non-tumor tissues (healthy muscle, lung, and fat) on days 4 and 7. A positive trend but no significant correlation could be found between SUVpeak and OS or PFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study shows that (89)Zr-bevacizumab PET imaging in NSCLC is feasible. Further investigation to validate this technique as a predictive biomarker for selecting patients for bevacizumab treatment is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Diseases, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands, idrisbahce@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bahce
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Huisman
authors.forename: Eline E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Verwer
authors.forename: Rogier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ooijevaar
authors.forename: Firdaouss
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boutkourt
authors.forename: Danielle J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Vugts
authors.forename: Guus Ams
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: van Dongen
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boellaard
authors.forename: Egbert F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Smit