Molecular and functional imaging in cancer-targeted therapy: current applications and future directions

Targeted anticancer drugs block cancer cell growth by interfering with specific signaling pathways vital to carcinogenesis and tumor growth rather than harming all rapidly dividing cells as in cytotoxic chemotherapy. The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (RECIST) system has been used to assess tumor response to therapy via changes in the size of target lesions as measured by calipers, conventional anatomically based imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other imaging methods. However, RECIST is sometimes inaccurate in assessing the efficacy of targeted therapy drugs because of the poor correlation between tumor size and treatment-induced tumor…

• XM
  Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Science and Technology

  Awards: 3502Z20194040, 3502Z20209101
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 32171363, 82103614
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province

  Award: 2021J05007
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province

  Award: No. 2021A1515011180
• FP
  Fujian Provincial Department of Science and Technology

  Award: 2020YZ016002
• XU
  Xiamen University

  Award: 201905