Mounia Beloueche-Babari1, Yann Jamin1,
Vaitha Arunan1, Simon Walker-Samuel1, Paul D. Smith2,
John C. Waterton2, Jane Halliday2, Martin O. Leach1,
Simon P. Robinson1
1Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton,
Surrey, United Kingdom; 2AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Down-modulation
of the BRAF-MEK-ERK1/2 signalling pathway is a novel strategy for targeted
cancer treatment that causes tumour growth inhibition and induction of
apoptosis. Diffusion-weighted MRI was used to detect pharmacodynamic
biomarkers of treatment with the MEK inhibitor AZD6244. Treatment of a human
melanoma xenograft model with AZD6244 caused inhibition of tumour growth that
was associated with an increase in the apparent diffusion coefficient and
tumour necrosis.