Evaluation of Treatment Response in Children with Brainstem Glioma by Correlating Cerebral Blood Flow Changes with Combined Vandetanib Administration and Local Radiation Therapy

Yong Zhang¹, Zoltan Patay¹, Ralf B. Loeffler¹, Ruitian Song¹, Alberto Broniscer², Claudia M. Hillenbrand¹

Pulsed arterial spin labeling was used to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes in pediatric brainstem glioma patients treated with combined Vandetanib, a novel anti-angiogenesis drug, and local radiation therapy. Tumor CBF measured at the end of radiation therapy showed a negative correlation with the Vandetanib dose, indicating the efficacy of Vadetanib in inhibiting tumor vascularization. Marginally lower CBF in regions receiving 30 Gy of radiation and above in normal appearing brain parenchyma may point to radiation toxicity. These findings suggest that CBF seems to be a promising biomarker for monitoring treatment strategies that affect the vascularization of tumor tissue.