Comparison of discovery rates and prognostic utility of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and circulating tumor DNA in prostate cancer-a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Circulating-tumor DNA (ctDNA) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand positron-emission tomography (PET) enable minimal-invasive prostate cancer (PCa) detection and survival prognostication. The present study aims to compare their tumor discovery abilities and prognostic values. METHODS: One hundred thirty men with confirmed PCa (70.5 ± 8.0 years) who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (184.8 ± 19.7 MBq) imaging and plasma sample collection (March 2019-August 2021) were included. Plasma-extracted cell-free DNA was subjected to whole-genome-based ctDNA analysis. PSMA-positive tumor lesions were delineated and their quantitative parameters extracted. ctDNA and PSMA PET/CT discovery rates were compared, and the prognostic value for overall survival (OS) was evaluated. RESULTS: PSMA PET discovery rates according to castration status and PSA ranges did differ significantly (P = 0.013, P < 0.001), while ctDNA discovery rates did not (P = 0.311, P = 0.123). ctDNA discovery rates differed between localized and metastatic disease (P = 0.013). Correlations between ctDNA concentrations and PSMA-positive tumor volume (PSMA-TV) were significant in all (r = 0.42, P < 0.001) and castration-resistant (r = 0.65, P < 0.001), however not in hormone-sensitive patients (r = 0.15, P = 0.249). PSMA-TV and ctDNA levels were associated with survival outcomes in the Logrank (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001) and multivariate Cox regression analysis (P = 0.0023, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PSMA PET imaging outperforms ctDNA analysis in detecting prostate cancer across the whole spectrum of disease, while both modalities are independently highly prognostic for survival outcomes.

Assessment of PSMA Expression of Healthy Organs in Different Stages of Prostate Cancer Using [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET Examinations.

The efficacy of radioligand therapy (RLT) targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is currently being investigated for its application in patients with early-stage prostate cancer (PCa). However, little is known about PSMA expression in healthy organs in this cohort. Collectively, 202 [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 positron emission tomography (PET) scans from 152 patients were studied. Of these, 102 PET scans were from patients with primary PCa and hormone-sensitive biochemically recurrent PCa and 50 PET scans were from patients with metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) before and after three cycles of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-RLT. PSMA-standardized uptake values (SUV) were measured in multiple organs and PSMA-total tumor volume (PSMA-TTV) was determined in all cohorts. The measured PET parameters of the different cohorts were normalized to the bloodpool and compared using t- or Mann-Whitney U tests. Patients with early-stage PCa had lower PSMA-TTVs (10.39 mL vs. 462.42 mL, p < 0.001) and showed different SUVs in the thyroid, submandibular glands, heart, liver, kidneys, intestine, testes and bone marrow compared to patients with advanced CRPC, with all tests showing p < 0.05. Despite the differences in the PSMA-TTV of patients with mCRPC before and after [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-RLT (462.42 mL vs. 276.29 mL, p = 0.023), no significant organ differences in PET parameters were detected. These suggest different degrees of PSMA-ligand binding among patients with different stages of PCa that could influence radiotoxicity during earlier stages of disease in different organs when PSMA-RLT is administered.

Value of follow-up diagnostic radioiodine scans in differentiated thyroid cancer.

Background: The most important part of the follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is the measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg). An increase of Tg levels indicates likely tumor recurrence. According to the guidelines of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), the follow-up should consist of serum Tg assays and a neck ultrasound, while the American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommends serum Tg assays, neck ultrasounds, and a diagnostic radioiodine whole-body scan (WBS) if non-stimulated Tg is greater than 10 ng/mL or if Tg is rising. This study questions the necessity of a diagnostic WBS in patients with low stimulated Tg levels during the initial follow-up. Design: This study is a retrospective data analysis. Methods: The data of 185 patients, who were in regular treatment and aftercare between 2015 and 2018 at the Department of Nuclear Medicine in Vienna, as well as the data of 185 patients who were treated in Tbilisi between 2015 and 2019, were analyzed. Results: There was a highly significant relationship between low stimulated Tg levels (<0.5 ng/mL) and the outcome of the diagnostic WBS at the first follow-up (χ 2 = 14.7, P < 0.001). In total, 31 out of 370 patients (8.4%) had positive findings in the diagnostic WBS. Seventy-five of 370 patients (19.74%) had stimulated Tg levels >0.5 ng/mL. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the first follow-up, 4-12 months after the initial therapy of DTC, including the measurement of basal and stimulated Tg levels and Tg antibody levels, does not mandate a diagnostic WBS on all patients. Significance statement: In this study, we examined the still commonly used routine diagnostic radioiodine whole-body scan in the first follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. We questioned the necessity of the scan in patients with low stimulated thyroglobulin levels. Therefore, we combined retrospective data from the University Hospital in Vienna and in Tbilisi to analyze 370 patients. We were able to demostrate a highly significant relationship between low stimulated thyroglobulin levels (<0.5 ng/mL) and the outcome of the diagnostic scan at the first follow-up (χ = 14.7, P < 0.001).

Examining the Relationship and Prognostic Significance of Cell-Free DNA Levels and the PSMA-Positive Tumor Volume in Men with Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective-Prospective [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT Study.

Functional imaging with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligands has emerged as the standard imaging method for prostate cancer (PCA). In parallel, the analysis of blood-derived, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been shown to be a promising quantitative biomarker of PCA aggressiveness and patient outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship and prognostic value of cfDNA concentrations and the PSMA-positive tumor volume (PSMA-TV) in men with PCA undergoing [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT imaging. Methods: We recruited 148 men with histologically proven PCA (mean age, 70.7 ± 7.7 y) who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (184.9 ± 18.9 MBq) and blood sampling between March 2019 and August 2021. Among these, 74 (50.0%) had hormone-sensitive PCA and 74 (50.0%) had castration-resistant PCA (CRPC). All patients provided written informed consent before blood sample collection and imaging. The cfDNA was extracted and quantified, and PSMA-expressing tumor lesions were delineated to extract the PSMA-TVs. The Spearman coefficient assessed correlations between PSMA-TV and cfDNA concentrations and cfDNA's relation with clinical parameters. The Kruskal-Wallis test examined the mean cfDNA concentration differences based on PSMA-TV quartiles for significantly correlated patient groups. Log-rank and multivariate Cox regression analyses evaluated the prognostic significance of high and low cfDNA and PSMA-TV levels for overall survival. Results: Weak positive correlations were found between cfDNA concentration and PSMA-TV in the overall group (r = 0.16, P = 0.049) and the CRPC group (r = 0.31, P = 0.007) but not in hormone-sensitive PCA patients (r = -0.024, P = 0.837). In the CRPC cohort, cfDNA concentrations significantly differed between PSMA-TV quartiles 4 and 1 (P = 0.002) and between quartiles 4 and 2 (P = 0.016). Survival outcomes were associated with PSMA-TV (P < 0.0001, P = 0.004) but not cfDNA (P = 0.174, P = 0.12), as per the log-rank and Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cfDNA might serve as a biomarker of advanced, aggressive CRPC but does not reliably reflect total tumor burden or prognosis. In comparison, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT provides a highly granular and prognostic assessment of tumor burden across the spectrum of PCA disease progression.

Effects of short- and long-term TSH suppression on lumbar bone mineral density in both genders using PET/CT.

Iatrogenic subclinical hyperthyroidism is induced intentionally in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive therapy on bone mineral density in men and women. Two cohorts of endocrine cancer patients were compared. In cohort A, 42 patients with long-lasting suppressed serum TSH were assessed. Cohort B consisted of 41 euthyroid patients. Bone density was measured in the L1-L4 lumbar vertebrae of all patients using PET/CT scans performed for cancer staging. In 17 patients of cohort A who received a second PET/CT scan, bone density was measured again to provide longitudinal analysis. A non-significant difference in age (p = .572) and equal distribution of sex (p = .916) was determined when comparing both cohorts. A significant difference (p = .011) with a moderate effect (η2 = .08; 20.4%) was observed regarding higher bone mineral density (BMD^HU) in cohort B with normal TSH levels (M 160.63 ± 54.7 HU) versus cohort A under TSH suppression therapy (M 127.9 ± 59.5 HU) for a mean duration of 4.45 ± 2.64 years. Furthermore, no significant change in BMD^HU (p = .786) was found in those patients who received a second PET/CT scan after a mean observation time of 2.3 ± 1.2 years. In conclusion, long-lasting TSH suppression therapy caused a statistically significant decrease in BMD^HU while short-lasting therapy didn't. Therefore, we can assume a higher likelihood of osteoporosis in those patients under prolonged TSH suppression.

Direct Patlak Reconstruction of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET for the Evaluation of Primary Prostate Cancer Prior Total Prostatectomy: Results of a Pilot Study.

To investigate the use of kinetic parameters derived from direct Patlak reconstructions of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) to predict the histological grade of malignancy of the primary tumor of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Thirteen patients (mean age 66 ± 10 years) with a primary, therapy-naïve PCa (median PSA 9.3 [range: 6.3-130 µg/L]) prior radical prostatectomy, were recruited in this exploratory prospective study. A dynamic whole-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scan was performed for all patients. Measured quantification parameters included Patlak slope (Ki: absolute rate of tracer consumption) and Patlak intercept (Vb: degree of tracer perfusion in the tumor). Additionally, the mean and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmean and SUVmax) of the tumor were determined from a static PET 60 min post tracer injection. In every patient, initial PSA (iPSA) values that were also the PSA level at the time of the examination and final histology results with Gleason score (GS) grading were correlated with the quantitative readouts. Collectively, 20 individual malignant prostate lesions were ascertained and histologically graded for GS with ISUP classification. Six lesions were classified as ISUP 5, two as ISUP 4, eight as ISUP 3, and four as ISUP 2. In both static and dynamic PET/CT imaging, the prostate lesions could be visually distinguished from the background. The average values of the SUVmean, slope, and intercept of the background were 2.4 (±0.4), 0.015 1/min (±0.006), and 52% (±12), respectively. These were significantly lower than the corresponding parameters extracted from the prostate lesions (all p < 0.01). No significant differences were found between these values and the various GS and ISUP (all p > 0.05). Spearman correlation coefficient analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between static and dynamic PET/CT parameters (all r ≥ 0.70, p < 0.01). Both GS and ISUP grading revealed only weak correlations with the mean and maximum SUV and tumor-to-background ratio derived from static images and dynamic Patlak slope. The iPSA demonstrated no significant correlation with GS and ISUP grading or with dynamic and static PET parameter values. In this cohort of mainly high-risk PCa, no significant correlation between [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 perfusion and consumption and the aggressiveness of the primary tumor was observed. This suggests that the association between SUV values and GS may be more distinctive when distinguishing clinically relevant from clinically non-relevant PCa.

Antihormonal-Treatment Status Affects 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET Biodistribution in Patients with Prostate Cancer.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is known to influence the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression of prostate cancer, potentially complicating the interpretation of PSMA ligand PET findings and affecting PSMA radioligand therapy. However, the impact of ADT on PSMA ligand biodistribution in nontumorous organs is not well understood. Methods: Men (n = 112) with histologically proven prostate cancer who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC (68Ga-PSMA-11) PET/CT between November 2015 and July 2021 at the Medical University Vienna with known ADT status were retrospectively recruited. Fifty-six patients were on gonadotropin-releasing hormone-interfering ADT at the time of imaging (ADT group), whereas 56 patients with no history of ADT served as a control group. Physiologically PSMA-expressing organs (salivary glands, kidneys, liver, and spleen) were delineated, and their uptake was compared according to their data distributions. Multivariate regression analysis assessed the relationship between renal, hepatic, splenic, and salivary gland uptake and the explanatory variables metabolic tumor volume, glomerular filtration rate, and ADT status. Results: ADT was associated with lower levels of PSMA uptake in the kidneys (SUVmean: Δ[ADT - control] = -7.89; 95% CI, -10.73 to -5.04; P < 0.001), liver (SUVpeak: Δ[ADT - control] = -2.3; 95% CI, -5.72 to -0.93; P = 0.003), spleen (SUVpeak: Δ[ADT - control] = -1.27; 95% CI, -3.61 to -0.16; P = 0.033), and salivary glands (SUVmean: Δ[ADT - control] = -1.04; 95% CI, -2.48 to -0.13; P = 0.027). In a multivariate analysis, ADT was found to be associated with lower renal (SUVmean: ß = -7.95; 95% CI, -11.06 to -4.84; P < 0.0001), hepatic (SUVpeak: ß = -7.85; 95% CI, -11.78 to -3.91; P < 0.0001), splenic (SUVpeak: ß = -5.83; 95% CI, -9.95 to -1.7; P = 0.006), and salivary gland (SUVmean: ß = -1.47; 95% CI, -2.76 to -0.17; P = 0.027) uptake. A higher glomerular filtration rate was associated with a higher renal SUVmean (ß = 0.16; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.26; P = 0.0034). Conclusion: These findings suggest that ADT systemically modulates PSMA expression, which may have implications for treatment-optimizing and side-effect-minimizing strategies for PSMA radioligand therapies, particularly those using more potent 225Ac-labeled PSMA conjugates.

Real-world Outcomes and Predictive Biomarkers for 177Lutetium Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Ligand Treatment in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A European Association of Urology Young Academic Urologists Prostate Cancer Working Group Multi-institutional Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The European Association of Urology guidelines include the lutetium-177 (177Lu) PSMA-617 prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligand as a therapy option for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). A major challenge in clinical practice is to pursue a personalized treatment approach based on robust predictive biomarkers. OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of 177Lu PSMA in real-world practice and to elaborate clinical biomarkers for evaluating treatment responses. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a retrospective observational study including 233 patients with mCRPC treated with 177Lu PSMA in eight high-volume European centers. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Baseline characteristics and clinical parameters during and after 177Lu PSMA treatment were documented. Correlations to treatment response were analyzed using χ2 and log-rank tests, with differences between groups with and without disease progression calculated using a Mann-Whitney U test. Univariate and multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were measured using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decrease of ≥30% was observed in 41.7%, 63.5%, and 77.8% of patients after the first, second, and third treatment cycle, respectively. Restaging performed via PSMA positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed that 33.7% of patients had an imaging-based response, including two patients with a complete response, while 13.4% had stable disease. The median time to progression was 5 mo and the median time until the start of a consecutive antineoplastic therapy was 8.5 mo. Of importance, a PSA decrease ≥30% after the first two cycles of 177Lu PSMA (1 cycle: p = 0.0003; 2 cycles: p = 0.004), absolute PSA after the first three cycles (1 cycle: p = 0.011; 2 cycles: p = 0.0005; 3 cycles: p = 0.002), and a PSA doubling time >6 mo (p = 0.009) were significantly correlated to treatment response. Furthermore, gamma-glutamyl transferase ≤31 U/L at the start of 177Lu PSMA therapy was correlated with 1.5 times higher risk of progression for patients without but not with visceral metastases (p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: 177Lu PSMA is an effective treatment option in mCRPC in the real-world setting. A PSA decrease ≥30% after the first two cycles is an early marker of response that can be easily implemented in clinical practice. PATIENT SUMMARY: 177Lu PSMA is a radioactive agent approved for treatment of advanced prostate cancer. We reviewed its use outside of clinical trials for patients treated at eight European centers. We found that 177Lu PSMA is an effective treatment option in real-world practice. A PSA (prostate-specific antigen) decrease of ≥30% after the first two therapy cycles is an early indicator of response to treatment and can be used in personalizing treatments for patients.