Increased Survival of Glioblastoma Patients who Respond to Anti-angiogenic Therapy with Elevated Blood Perfusion
Menée par IRM sur 30 patients atteints d'un glioblastome récidivant et traités à l'aide de cediranib, cette étude suggère que la normalisation vasculaire associée au traitement favorise la régression des tumeurs et est associée à une amélioration de la survie des patients
The abnormal vasculature of the tumor microenvironment supports progression and resistance to treatment. Judicious application of anti-angiogenic therapy may normalize the structure and function of the tumor vasculature, promoting improved blood perfusion. However, there has been a lack of direct clinical evidence for improvements in blood perfusion after anti-angiogenic therapy. In this study, we used MRI to assess tumor blood perfusion in 30 recurrent glioblastoma patients who were undergoing treatment with cediranib, a pan-VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Tumor blood perfusion increased durably for more than one month in 7of 30 patients where it was associated with longer survival. Together, our findings offer direct clinical evidence in support of the hypothesis that vascular normalization promotes tumor regression and longer patient survival.