Latest advances in imaging oxidative stress in cancer

Oxidative stress is the imbalance of harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the action of neutralizing antioxidant mechanisms. If left unchecked, the deleterious effects of oxidative stress results in damage to DNA, proteins, and membranes, ultimately resulting in cell death. Tumors are highly proliferative and consequently generate high levels of mitochondrial ROS. To compensate and maintain redox homeostasis, cancer cells upregulate protective antioxidant pathways, which are further amplified in drug-resistant tumors. This review provides an overview of the latest molecular imaging techniques designed to image oxidative stress in cancer. New probes are now able to assess heterogeneous ROS and antioxidant production within tumors and across lesions. Together, the non-invasive imaging of these dynamic processes holds great promise for treatment response monitoring, prediction of drug resistance, and may provide insight into the metastatic potential of tumors.