VCAM1 and cancer: On this basis, a novel MRI contrast agent, comprised of microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO) conjugated to anti-VCAM-1 antibodies (VCAM-MPIO), has been proposed as a diagnostic tool for the detection of early BM (23), and has been shown to enable detection of BM from breast, lung, and melanoma human cancers in preclinical models (24).