Project description
Determining zinc content in cancer with MRI
Prompt diagnosis and therapies for pancreatic cancer are limited, leading to a dismal prognosis and low survival rate. Emerging evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer cells present low levels of zinc importers and zinc content, while treatment with the zinc ionophore clioquinol inhibits tumour growth. The EU-funded tZR-CA-InVivo project aims to develop a magnetic resonance imaging tool, namely a zinc-responsive contrast agent to quantify zinc content in tissues. The contrasting agent will be designed to specifically target the tumour and provide a means for monitoring zinc levels in patients with cancer and evaluate the need to increase it.