Hemoglobin level significantly impacts the tumor cell survival fraction in humans after internal radiotherapy

Background Anemia is usually not taken into account in internal radiotherapy. We investigated whether the hemoglobin (Hb) level could have an impact on the tumor response, as observed in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Methods Absorbed doses of 25 hepatic metastatic sites in eight patients who underwent a liver selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT) were computed by a 3D convolution of a dose deposition kernel with the 90 Y time-of-flight positron emission tomography (TOF-PET) images acquired following therapy. Early tumor response was assessed by comparing a follow-up FDG TOF-PET scan with a baseline scan. Hb level was measured on the day of the SIRT procedure. Results All patients displayed early tumor response increasing with the tumor-absorbed dose. Significant differences between patients were noted, the response slope correlating with the Hb level. After applying a global fit on all metastases using a tumor radiosensitivity modulated by a Hb enhancement factor (HEF) linearly dependent on the Hb level, a strong correlation ( R = 0.96) was observed between the early response and the absorbed dose. Hb level had a major impact on tumor response by modulating HEF by a factor 6. Conclusions These results prove the significant impact of Hb level on the tumor response and support the study of methods for correcting tumor hypoxia, such as intensively performed in EBRT. The quantitative analysis of the relationship between tumor doses and early response has the power to allow fast screening of such correction methods in limited patient series. Internal radiotherapy could be more efficient if performed earlier in the therapy line, when the disease- and treatment-related anemia remains limited.