Enhanced Contrast Imaging for Screening of Early Pancreatic Cancer

描述(由申请人提供)：这项建议解决了对早期发现和快速筛查导管性胰腺癌的改进技术的真正需求。纳米技术和高分辨率光学相干断层成像(OCT)成像的最新进展导致了能够在细胞水平上探测生物组织的新的研究工具的发展。这些工具可用于定位异常肿瘤细胞并加快癌症筛查过程。物理科学公司(PSI)与东北大学(NEU)合作，提议开发一种可用于筛查早期胰管上皮癌病变的技术。内窥镜引导下的高分辨率OCT成像与荧光成像相结合，将用于定位组织内的异常病变。基于明胶的金涂层颗粒，装载有荧光团，具有识别表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)的功能，将被局部或静脉输送到体内，以靶向癌细胞，指示癌症位置，并增强OCT成像的对比度。在第一阶段，这项技术将在培养的各种胰腺癌细胞系和人类胰腺癌的正交性小鼠模型上进行测试。第一阶段的结果和观察结果将用于在第二阶段计划中改进这项技术。第二阶段将在大量动物身上进行体内试点研究，以测试这项技术在早期导管性胰腺癌筛查中的有效性。与公共卫生相关：拟议的研究可以显著改善癌症筛查和监测，允许在可以治疗和更容易治愈的早期阶段发现癌症。众所周知，早期癌症诊断可以改善临床结果，减少发病率，并降低疾病死亡率。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal addresses a real need for an improved technology for early detection and rapid screening of ductal pancreatic cancer. Very recent advances in nanotechnology and high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging have led to the development of new investigative tools capable of probing biological tissues at the cellular level. These tools can be used to localize abnormal neoplastic cells and expedite the cancer screening process. Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with Northeastern University (NEU), proposes to develop a technology that could be used for screening of early stage epithelial cancerous lesions of the pancreatic duct. Endoscopically guided high-resolution OCT imaging, combined with fluorescence imaging, will be used to localize abnormal lesions within the tissue. Gold-coated gelatin-based particles, loaded with a fluorophore and functionalized to recognize the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), will be topically or intravenously delivered to the body to target cancer cells, indicate cancer location, and enhance the contrast of OCT imaging. In Phase I, this technology will be tested on various pancreatic cancer cell lines in cultures and in an orthotropic mouse model of human pancreatic cancer. The Phase I results and observations will be used to improve this technology in a Phase II program. A pilot in vivo study on a large number of animals will be performed in Phase II to test the effectiveness of this technology for early stage ductal pancreatic cancer screening. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed research could substantially improve cancer screening and surveillance, allowing for detection at an early stage when it is treatable and more easily curable. It is well established that earlier cancer diagnosis results in improved clinical outcomes, decreased morbidity, and reduced mortality from disease.