HMN 2025: How New radiotracer might make breast cancer detection faster, extra correct

A brand new radiotracer developed on the University of Alberta and shortly to be examined in human medical trials in Europe might make medical imaging of breast cancer tumors faster and extra correct, and will in the future result in higher remedies.

“Our work to date exhibits that it is much better for early detection and for detecting metastasis, so it may very well be a superior technique to diagnose and stage breast cancer,” says Frederick West, professor of chemistry and Allard Research Chair in Oncology, with appointments within the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

“It’s going to make it a lot much less inconvenient for sufferers to get these photos, and we’ll get higher-quality photos within the course of, so from a affected person end result standpoint, the profit is obvious,” says West.

West first started engaged on the brand new radiotracer in 2009, and was then joined within the work by Frank Wuest, professor and division chair of oncology and the Dianne and Irving Kipnes Chair in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, who did a complete study of the radiotracer’s conduct with breast cancer models in mice in 2011.

The present customary molecule for cancer imaging utilizing positron emission tomography is predicated on glucose. That’s as a result of cancer tumors develop so quickly that they’ve an enormous want for gas, and consequently they’ve an uncommon variety of glucose transporter proteins to deliver glucose into their cells. A radioactive isotope is added to the glucose-based tracer and when it’s injected into the physique, it’s taken up extra quickly by the cancer cells than wholesome cells. The tracer’s positrons work together with the physique’s electrons, producing gamma rays that may then be detected by the PET scan.

The newly developed radiotracer, generally known as [18F]6-fluoro-6-deoxyfructose, mimics the construction of the pure sugar fructose as a substitute, changing a hydroxyl group with a radioactive fluorine isotope. It takes benefit of an uncommon function of breast cancer: A big variety of breast cancer cells take up fructose, because of a fructose transporter protein referred to as GLUT5 that does not happen in regular breast tissue cells.

“The fructose transporter is definitely very particular as a result of it is not present in very a lot of our cells,” explains West.

When the fructose-based radiotracer is injected into the physique, it’s taken up by the GLUT5 within the cancer cells. The ensuing gamma rays are then produced solely within the cancer-affected places, offering a really clear picture.

“That’s the right state of affairs,” says West. “You need your picture to gentle up like a vibrant gentle bulb and also you need all the things else within the background to be black. The drawback with the glucose radiotracer is that each cell in our physique makes use of glucose, so there’s at all times going to be a background of gamma rays all through the physique as a result of each cell is taking on the tracer molecule.”

Another benefit of the fructose-based radiotracer is the time it takes to get a picture. The glucose-based tracer takes as much as two hours to build up within the tumor sufficient to be detected. In distinction, the fructose-based tracer lights up the tumor inside quarter-hour, then is quickly cleared from the physique.

West and Wuest have to date examined their new radiotracer utilizing animal models, however it’s going to quickly be examined in European sufferers.

“Our collaborators in Germany are motivated to check our compound in a small variety of sufferers this 12 months,” says West. “If the outcomes of those preliminary research present promise, we’d have the ability to fast-track medical analysis on the University of Alberta.”

The subsequent step, says West, is to contemplate whether or not the fructose transporter protein can be used in treatment in addition to imaging.

“If we are able to selectively transport fructose into cancer cells and never into regular cells, the query we ask ourselves is, can we hijack that fructose transporter equipment to really ship cancer medication?” he says. “That’s our dream, to transcend imaging to remedy.”