A Non-Invasive and Self-Managed Microscope for Predicting Radiation Induced Acute Toxicities in Cancer Patients

ABSTRACT: Microcirculation is the terminal vascular network of the systemic circulation. It has a pivotal role in the cardiovascular system. Damage to microvessels caused by radiotherapy (RT) contributes to toxicity development in a non-clarified manner. This work aims to investigate quantitatively the role of microcirculation in predicting acute toxicities after breast and prostate cancer RT. We enrolled 247 patients at a single centre for this study RT. We assessed the single-patient baseline microvasculature health status (MVHS) before RT using a microscope coupled to the GlycoCheck™ software. The system records videos (in the sublingual region) showing the live movement of red blood cells in the microvessels, analyses the microvasculature and computes the MVHS value for the overall health of microcirculation. We fitted a logistic model for the association between MVHS and acute toxicities, and we found a quantitative relationship between microvasculature health status and radio-sensitivity for patients both breast and prostate cancer patients. The information obtained from the sublingual microscope could help personalise predictive models for toxicity and tailor them to the functional status of each patient.