Macrophage-targeted anti-CCL2 immunotherapy enhances tumor sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in a Balb/c-CT26 murine colon carcinoma model measured using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Background: Immunotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) regulates specific immune checkpoints and, when used in combination with chemotherapy, can improve patient prognosis. One specific immune checkpoint is the recruitment of circulating monocytes that differentiate into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and promote tumor angiogenesis. Changes in vascularization can be non-invasively assessed via diffuse reflectance spectroscopy using hemoglobin concentrations and oxygenation in a localized tumor volume.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to monitor murine colorectal tumor progression and therapeutic response (Erratum).

The erratum notes a correction to Fig. 5 for the published article.

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to monitor murine colorectal tumor progression and therapeutic response.

Significance: Many studies in colorectal cancer (CRC) use murine ectopic tumor models to determine response to treatment. However, these models do not replicate the tumor microenvironment of CRC. Physiological information of treatment response derived via diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) from murine primary CRC tumors provide a better understanding for the development of new drugs and dosing strategies in CRC.

Efficacy and clinical monitoring strategies for immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted cytokine immunotherapy for locally advanced and metastatic colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cancer type and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths annually in the United States. Conventional treatment options include postoperative (adjuvant) and preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although these treatment modalities have shown to decrease tumor burden, a major limitation to chemothearpy/radiotherapy is the high recurrence rate in patients.