Abstract
Currently, biomarkers that predict the efficacy of everolimus in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients are lacking. Everolimus inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression. We performed PET scans on mRCC patients with 89Zr-bevacizumab, a VEGF-A–binding antibody tracer. The aims were to determine a change in tumor tracer uptake after the start of everolimus and to explore whether 89Zr-bevacizumab PET can identify patients with early disease progression. Methods: 89Zr-bevacizumab PET was done before and 2 and 6 wk after the start of everolimus, 10 mg/d, in mRCC patients. Routine CT scans were performed at baseline and every 3 mo thereafter. Tumor tracer uptake was quantified using SUVmax. The endpoints were a change in tumor tracer uptake and treatment response on CT after 3 mo. Results: Thirteen patients participated. The median SUVmax of 94 tumor lesions was 7.3 (range, 1.6–59.5). Between patients, median tumor SUVmax varied up to 8-fold. After 2 wk, median SUVmax was 6.3 (1.7–62.3), corresponding to a mean decrease of 9.1% (P < 0.0001). Three patients discontinued everolimus early. At 6 wk, a mean decrease in SUVmax of 23.4% compared with baseline was found in 70 evaluable lesions of 10 patients, with a median SUVmax of 5.4 (1.1–49.4, P < 0.0001). All 10 patients who continued treatment had stable disease at 3 mo. Conclusion: Everolimus decreases 89Zr-bevacizumab tumor uptake. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the predictive value of 89Zr-bevacizumab PET for everolimus antitumor efficacy.
Footnotes
Published online Jan. 12, 2017.
- © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.