When prostate cancer spreads to the bones, chemotherapy is the preferred treatment-- however, the success of chemotherapy varies with time and individual. Early determination about how successful the chemotherapy is working can literally save lives.

Now, University of Michigan researchers have found a way to track and assess chemotherapy treatment response of metastatic prostate cancer cells much more easily.

Using a functional diffusion map (fDM) as an imaging biomarker, this technique uses an MRI before treatment and then another 7 days after the treatment start. The two MRIs are compared noting the flow of water in or out of the tumor cell areas. Cells that have been damaged will leak due to cell membrane damage.

The scientists tested the biomarker by noting a significant increase of diffusion in areas of known prostate cancer bone tumors after 7 days of treatment with chemotherapy. The tumor damage was verified by removing the tumor and examining the status of the tumor cells.

Analysis: Hormone resistant metastatic prostate cancer patients need reliable and quick tracking to find out if their chemotherapy treatments are working, in order for their physicians to decide to continue those treatments, or consider alternatives.

This testing procedure, if it passes clinical evaluation during further study could provide oncologists with a quicker answer as to whether chemotherapy is working for an individual.

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• Stage IV Prostate Cancer Treatments
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Source: Kuei C. Lee, Sudha Sud, Charles R. Meyer, Bradford A. Moffat, Thomas L. Chenevert, et. al. (2007). An Imaging Biomarker of Early Treatment Response in Prostate Cancer that Has Metastasized to the Bone. Cancer Research. (abstract).