03/02/2026 | USP Journal

https://jornal.usp.br/podcast/curioso-por-ciencia-100-pesquisa-aponta-biomarcador-por-imagem-associado-a-agressividade-do-cancer-de-prostata/ 

Study shows that indirect signs of low tumor oxygenation can be captured by imaging and aid therapeutic decisions

The Curious About Science podcast, in its 100th episode, presents the results of research at the Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Medicine (FMRP) of USP that revealed the possibility of identifying more aggressive prostate tumors through magnetic resonance imaging. The study investigated tumor hypoxia, a condition characterized by low oxygenation inside the tumor and associated with faster disease progression and resistance to treatment.

Hypoxia alters the structure and function of tumor tissue by modifying cell density and the organization of blood vessels. These changes interfere with the movement of water molecules within the tumor, a phenomenon that can be detected by advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

Based on this premise, the research analyzed intravoxel incoherent movement, an imaging parameter that reflects the microscopic dynamics of water in the tissue. The hypothesis was that alterations in this movement could serve as an indirect marker of tumor oxygenation.

To test this relationship, scans of 67 patients with prostate cancer were evaluated. The data obtained by magnetic resonance imaging were compared with laboratory analyses of the tumor, allowing verification of the presence of hypoxic areas and their association with aggressiveness characteristics.

The results showed that tumors with lower oxygenation tend to exhibit more aggressive behavior. Furthermore, the imaging technique was able to indicate relevant differences between tumors with higher and lower hypoxia, suggesting potential use as a non-invasive biomarker.

According to the study, early identification of tumor hypoxia can contribute to risk stratification and the definition of more individualized therapeutic strategies. This approach can also reduce the need for invasive procedures, expanding the possibilities for evaluating the tumor microenvironment in clinical practice.

The doctoral research, "Tumor hypoxia detected in intravoxel incoherent movement as a biomarker of prostate cancer aggressiveness," was developed by Olayemi Atinuke Alagbe, under the guidance of Professor Valdair Francisco Muglia, in the Postgraduate Program in Clinical Medicine at FMRP, and defended in 2025.

Curioso por Ciência is a co-production between the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP) of USP, the startup Dr. Fisiologia, and Rádio USP Ribeirão Preto and São Paulo. It airs every Monday on Jornal da USP no Ar on Rádio USP in São Paulo, 93.7 MHz, starting at 7:30 AM, and on Jornal da USP no Ar - Regional Edition on Rádio USP Ribeirão Preto, 107.9 MHz, starting at 12 PM. It will be available on the Ribeirão Preto homepage of Jornal da USP; simply navigate to ribeirao.usp.br.