A new study finds the imaging technique detects cancer recurrence more effectively than standard methods, leading to changes in patient management.
A multicenter study from Canada has found that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning can more effectively detect the recurrence of prostate cancer compared to standard imaging methods and is associated with improved survival outcomes. The study was published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
During a PSMA PET scan, a radioactive molecule designed to target a protein in prostate cancer cells is injected into the patient’s bloodstream. The study, led by researchers at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute, Lawson Research Institute, and University Health Network, found the molecule effectively binds to prostate cancer cells, helping to detect recurrence earlier than conventional imaging.
“This new technique gives physicians the information needed to determine the best treatment,” says Glenn Bauman, MD, scientist at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute and radiation oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre, in a release. “When a blood test shows cancer has returned but standard imaging can’t find it, physicians may need to use less precise therapies like whole-body drug therapy. With this new imaging technique, we can locate the cancer and target it directly.”
The research team reported an overall detection rate of 70%, significantly higher than the historical 10-20% detection rates with conventional bone and CT scans. Based on the scan results, about half of all patients had their disease management changed. For men with cancer detected by PSMA PET, nearly 90% had a change in the management of their recurring prostate cancer. The study also found that patients whose treatments were modified based on the PET scan results had a better overall survival rate than those who received standard imaging.
“We’re encouraged by how this imaging approach is already changing cancer care,” says Ur Metser, MD, division head of molecular imaging at University Health Network and clinician scientist at University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, in a release. “Our study showed that PET scans using this technique led to more personalized treatment decisions, and those changes are linked to longer survival. That’s a meaningful step forward for patients and their care teams.”
The study enrolled thousands of men across six hospitals in Ontario. Based on its results and other research, PSMA PET scans are now funded as a standard of care test for men with advanced prostate cancer in the province.
Photo caption: Glenn Bauman, MD, scientist at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute and Radiation Oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre, stands in front of the PET scanner.
Photo credit: London Health Sciences Centre
