Stanford School of Medicine
Radiation Oncology–

Ivana Cecic

Ph.D., Pathology
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, 2004

Research

My PhD project focused on further elucidating the host immune response to photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) entails the administration of a light-sensitive drug that is preferentially retained in diseased tissue, followed by tissue-directed activation of that photochemical by light of appropriate tissue-penetrating wavelength. A main feature of drugs used in PDT is their efficient absorbance of light and transfer of that energy to local molecular oxygen. The energy absorbed by oxygen puts it in a singlet state (singlet oxygen, O 1 2 ) which then acts as the main mediator of cytotoxicity. Local PDT tissue damage leads to an acute infiltration of immune effecter cells and plasma proteins whose many functions are to mediate inflammation and promote wound healing. The inhibition of any of the multiple components of this immune reaction leads to decreased success of PDT treatment. Currently I'm involved in a project designed to apply reporter gene technology to image hypoxic areas in solid tumors with the intent to improve targeting by radiation of these treatment-resistant areas.


Publications

  1. Cecic I, Chan DA, Sutphin PD, Ray P, Gambhir SS, Giaccia AJ, Graves EE. (2007) Oxygen sensitivity of reporter genes: implications for preclinical imaging of tumor hypoxia. Molecular Imaging (accepted, in press).
  2. Graves EE, Cecic, I, Zhang L, Giaccia A. (2007) Imaging hypoxia-inducible pathways as prognostic biomarkers for cancer. Frontiers in Bioscience (accepted, in press).
  3. Cecic I, Minchinton AI, Korbelik M. (2007) The impact of complement activation on tumor oxygenation during photodynamic therapy. Photochemistry and Photobiology (accepted, in press).
  4. Cecic I, Stott B, Korbelik M. (2006) Acute phase response-associated systemic neutrophil mobilization in mice bearing tumors treated by photodynamic therapy. International Journal of Immunopharmacology 6: 1259-1266.
  5. Cecic I, Sun J, Korbelik M. (2006) Role of complement anaphylatoxin C3a in photodynamic therapy-elicited engagement of host neutrophils and other immune cells. Photochemistry and Photobiology 82: 558-562.
  6. Cecic I, Korbelik M. (2006) Deposition of complement proteins on cells treated by photodynamic therapy in vitro. Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology 25: 189-204.
  7. Cecic I, Serrano K, Gyongyossy-Issa M, Korbelik M. (2005) Characteristics of complement activation in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinomas treated by photodynamic therapy. Cancer Letters 225: 215-223.

  8. Cecic I, Sun J, Korbelik M.  Role of complement anaphylatoxin C3a in photodynamic therapy-elicited engagement of host neutrophils and other immune cells.  Photochemistry and Photobiology, published online November 7, 2005.

  9. Korbelik M, Sun J, Cecic I. Photodynamic therapy-induced cell surface expression and release of heat shock proteins: relevance for tumour response.  Cancer Research Vol 65, pp. 1018-1026 (2005).

  10. Korbelik M, Sun J, Cecic I, Serrano, K. Adjuvant treatment for complement activation increases the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy of solid tumors. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences Vol 3, pp 812-816 (2004)

  11. Sun J, Cecic I, Parkins CS, Korbelik M. Neutrophils as inflammatory and immune effectors in photodynamic therapy-treated mouse SCCVII tumors. Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences Vol 9, pp 690-695 (2002)

  12. Cecic I, Korbelik M. Mediators of peripheral blood neutrophilia induced by photodynamic therapy of solid tumors. Cancer Letters Vol 183, pp. 43-51 (2002)

  13. Cecic I, Parkins CS, Korbelik M. Induction of systemic neutrophil response in mice by photodynamic therapy of solid tumors. Photochemistry and Photobiology Vol 74, pp. 712-720 (2001)

  14. Korbelik M, Parkins CS, Shibuya H, Cecic I, Stratford MR, Chaplin DJ. Nitric oxide production by tumor tissue: impact on the response to photodynamic therapy. British Journal of Cancer Vol 82, pp. 1835-1843 (2000)

  15. Korbelik M, Cecic I. Contribution of myeloid and lymphoid host cells to the curative outcome of mouse sarcoma treatment by photodynamic therapy. Cancer Letters Vol 137, pp. 91-98 (1999)

Book chapters

  1. Cecic I, Stott B, Sun J, Korbelik M.  Relevance of innate immunity recognition of altered self in the induction of host response associated with photodynamic therapy.  Recent Research Developments in Cancer, Vol. 6, Part 1, S.G. Pandalai (ed), published by Transworld Research Network, Trivandrum, India, 2005.

  2. Korbelik M, Cecic I. Mechanism of tumor destruction by PDT. Handbook of Photochemistry and Photobiology , Vol 4: Photobiology. H.S. Nalwa (ed), published by American Scientific Publishers, 2003.

  3. Cecic I, Korbelik M. Neutrophil-associated events in the inflammation of cancerous tissue following treatment with photodynamic therapy. Trends in Photochemistry & Photobiology, Vol 6. U. Ramchandran, editorial executive, published by Research Trends, Trivandrum , India , 1999.

  4. Korbelik M, Cecic I, Shibuya H. The role of nitric oxide in the response of cancerous lesions to photodynamic therapy. Recent Research Developments in Photochemistry & Photobiology. S.G. Pandalai (ed), published by Transworld Research Network, Trivandrum India , 1998.

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