Longitudinal monitoring of tumor evolution and radiotherapy response using hyperspectral imaging and optical profilometry

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, underscoring the need for innovative approaches to tumor monitoring and treatment evaluation. This research aimed to investigate tumor evolution and response to radiotherapy, enhancing the understanding of tumor biology and treatment effectiveness.

We utilized a custom hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system combined with optical profilometry (OP) to longitudinally monitor solid murine tumor models, focusing on physiological and morphological changes during growth and in response to radiotherapy. A total of 33 hairless albino SKH1-Elite mice were employed to investigate four tumor types: B16-F10 murine melanoma, MC38 colon adenocarcinoma, MOC1, and MOC2 mouse oral carcinoma over 14 days. Additionally, we analyzed the effects of radiotherapy on a subgroup of MC38 tumor-bearing subjects at multiple time points post-treatment.

Significant differences (p<0.05) in melanin and total hemoglobin content were observed between B16-F10 and MC38 tumors as soon as 6 days after tumor cell injection. Furthermore, tumor response to radiotherapy was detectable within 72 hours post-treatment based on changes in physiology and reduced tumor volume. Our findings suggest that HSI with OP could enhance early tumor detection and improve treatment assessment.