High liposomal doxorubicin tumour tissue distribution, as determined by radiopharmaceutical labelling with 99mTc-LD, is associated with the response and survival of patients with unresectable pleural mesothelioma treated with a combination of liposomal doxorubicin and cisplatin

Background There are currently no available biomarkers for advanced pleural mesothelioma that determine which patients could benefit from a specific chemotherapy regimen. Methods Based on the results of a previously published phase II study, we associated the 99m Technetium-labelled liposomal doxorubicin ( 99m Tc-LD) uptake value (75 % cut-off) with the response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival of patients treated with a combination of liposomal doxorubicin and cisplatin. Results Patients with tumours exhibiting increased 99m Tc-LD uptake showed better response rates, progression-free survival and overall survival than those exhibiting lower uptake 73.3 versus 15 % ( p