[¹¹C] Methionine-PET Imaging as a Cancer Biomarker for Methionine Addiction and Sensitivity to Methionine-restriction-based Combination Chemotherapy

Background/aim: Methionine addiction is a fundamental and universal hallmark of cancer, termed the Hoffman effect. Methionine addiction of cancer is greater than glucose addiction, termed the Warburg effect, as shown by the comparison of PET imaging with [¹¹C]methionine and [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose. The aim of the present study was to determine whether [¹¹C]methionine PET (MET-PET) images could be a biomarker of methionine addiction of cancer and potential response to methionine-restriction-based combination chemotherapy.

Patients and methods: In the present study a patient with invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast metastatic to axillary lymph nodes was imaged by both MET-PET and [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET) before and after combination treatment with methionine restriction, comprising a low-methionine diet and methioninase, along with first-line chemotherapy.

Results: MET-PET gave a much stronger and precise image of the patient's metastatic axillary lymph nodes than FDG-PET. The patient had a complete response to methionine restriction-based chemotherapy as shown by MET-PET.

Conclusion: MET-PET imaging is a biomarker of methionine-addicted cancer and potential response to methionine-restriction-based chemotherapy.