Background: With the development of increasingly sophisticated three-dimensional volumetric imaging methods,\r\ntumor volume can serve as a robust and reproducible measurement of drug efficacy. Since the use of molecularly\r\ntargeted agents in the clinic will almost certainly involve combinations with other therapeutic modalities, the use\r\nof volumetric determination can help to identify a dosing schedule of sequential combinations of cytostatic drugs\r\nresulting in long term control of tumor growth with minimal toxicity. The aim of this study is to assess high\r\nresolution sonography imaging for the in vivo monitoring of efficacy of Infliximab in pancreatic tumor.\r\nMethods: In the first experiment, primary orthotopic pancreatic tumor growth was measured with Infliximab\r\ntreatment. In the second experiment, orthotopic tumors were resected ten days after inoculation of tumor cells\r\nand tumor recurrence was measured following Infliximab treatment. Tumor progression was evaluated using 3D\r\nhigh resolution sonography.\r\nResults: Sonography measurement of tumor volume in vivo showed inhibitory effect of Infliximab on primary\r\ntumor growth in both non-resected and resected models. Measurement of the dynamics of tumor growth by\r\nsonography revealed that in the primary tumor Infliximab is effective against established tumors while in the\r\nresection model, Infliximab is more effective at an early stage following tumor resection. Infliximab treatment is\r\nalso effective in inhibiting tumor growth growth as a result of tumor cell contamination of the surgical field.\r\nConclusions: Clinical application of Infliximab is feasible in both the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting. Infliximab is\r\nalso effective in slowing the growth of tumor growth under the peritoneum and may have application in treating\r\nperitoneal carcinomatosis. Finally the study demonstrates that high resolution sonography is a sensitive imaging\r\nmodality for the measurement of pancreatic tumor growth.
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