Abstract
The goal of this project was to study the difference between CWR22 prostate cancer xenografts with full androgen supply and after undergoing androgen deprivation and/or radiation therapy in immunedeficient mice by applying the non-invasive visualization methods dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI).
Changes in vascularization, vessel permeability, surface area and volume fraction of EES as a result of androgen deprivation and/or radiation therapy were observed. Increase in ADC for CWR22 xenografts after radiation treatment suggest structural changes at the last day of observation. As a result of androgen deprivation CWR22 xenografts developed a radiation resistant phenotype. The study suggests that serial monitoring of Ktrans could be a useful indicator of therapy responses in prostate cancer.