Investigational protein-based MRI agent spots difficult-to-detect lung lesions
A new type of MRI contrast agent could offer doctors a more detailed view of smaller lung cancer lesions that can be difficult to identify on imaging.
The protein-based agent, hProCA32.Collagen, targets type 1 collagen, a structural protein that is present at elevated levels in aggressive tumors and metastatic lesions. Rather than simply highlighting the presence of a mass, the molecular imaging approach is designed to provide information about biological changes associated with tumor invasion and progression. This could potentially help doctors characterize a malignancy's aggression and identify lesions with a higher likelihood of invasion or metastasis.
A multi-institutional study, led by researchers at Georgia State and Emory University, recently evaluated the approach that targets collagen remodeling in the tumor microenvironment. The results were published in Science Advances, where researchers detailed their use of the agent to detect and quantify small primary lung tumors as well as metastatic disease in the lungs, adrenal glands and kidneys. Researchers found that the agent was particularly effective in models of aggressive lung adenocarcinomas associated with mutations linked to treatment resistance and metastatic spread.
This ability could be especially beneficial in lung cancer, which is frequently diagnosed after disease has progressed beyond the primary tumor. Earlier detection of metastatic disease could potentially influence staging and treatment decisions, although the current findings have not yet been demonstrated in humans. Experts involved in the agent’s development are optimistic, however, about how its use could improve human diagnoses in the future.
“This is a game changer for cancer diagnosis and precision medicine,” Jenny J. Yang, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and biophysical chemistry at Georgia State University and senior investigator on the study, said in a news release. “For the first time, we’ve shown that precision MRI can detect tiny tumors and whole body metastases without using harmful radiation while also providing important clues about how aggressively a cancer may behave.”
The approach could eventually have applications beyond initial detection. If the collagen signal correlates with tumor aggressiveness, molecular MRI could potentially help identify high-risk patients, inform treatment selection and monitor changes in tumor biology during therapy. However, the technology remains investigational. Researchers are now preparing an investigational new drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical testing.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.