Differential Effects of VEGF-Trap on Benign and Malignant Human Melanoma Xenografts Evaluated by DCE MRI

HuaLei Zhang¹, Hui Qiao¹, Fabao Gao¹, Karthik Raju¹, Steven Pickup¹, Xin Li², Jerry Glickson¹, Rong Zhou¹

Based on our previous development of a DCE MRI protocol which permits simultaneous measurement in mice the arterial input function of gadodiamide and its uptake in tumor, here we evaluate the effect of an antibody to the vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF), namely VEGF-Trap, on a highly metastatic and a non-metstic melanoma xenografted in mice. In A375P line, the VEGF-trap treated has a significant Ktrans reduction (p=0.029) in the periphery compared to IgG treated ones at the end of 3 weeks. The Ktrans is homogeneously reduced (p=0.028 comparing the periphery and centre Ktrans difference between VEGF-trap and IgG treatment.) in VEGF-trap group while periphery is higher than core in IgG group. In C8161 line, the reduction in tumor periphery exists but is not statistically significant comparing the VEGF-trap treated with the IgG treated.