3'-Deoxy-3'-[F-18]Fluorothymidine Uptake Is Related to Thymidine Phosphorylase Expression in Various Experimental Tumor Models

PURPOSE: We recently reported that high thymidine phosphorylase (TP) expression is accompanied by low tumor thymidine concentration and high 3'-deoxy-3'-[(18)F]fluorothymidine ([(18)F]FLT) uptake in four untreated lung cancer xenografts. Here, we investigated whether this relationship also holds true for a broader range of tumor models. PROCEDURES: Lysates from n = 15 different tumor models originating from n = 6 institutions were tested for TP and thymidylate synthase (TS) expression using western blots. Results were correlated to [(18)F]FLT accumulation in the tumors as determined by positron emission tomography (PET) measurements in the different institutions and to previously published thymidine concentrations. RESULTS: Expression of TP correlated positively with [(18)F]FLT SUVmax (ρ = 0.549, P