Can PET/CT scanning guide radiotherapy treatment in prostate cancer?

This paper studied if a targeted form of radiotherapy could be effective in improving patient outcomes after surgical treatment of prostate cancer. The main finding was that a specific type of radiotherapy using PET scans improved outcomes in these patients.

Prostate specific antigen is a chemical in the blood that has been associated as a marker for prostate cancer. Biochemical recurrence free survival (BRFS) is survival after a treatment where PSA levels are low. However, prostate cancer can still reoccur with low levels of PSA in the blood. Prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT (PSMA PET/CT) is an imaging technique that can detect prostate cancer at low PSA levels. PSMA PET/CT can then be used with targeted radiotherapy to keep PSA levels low in the blood. It is important to research if PSMA PET/CT combined with targeted radiotherapy can keep PSA levels low and improve outcomes.

This study included 90 patients that underwent PSMA PET/CT prior to radiotherapy with 2-5 treatments a week. PSA was measured in these patients after treatment and the average follow up time was 23 months.

Of the patients, 42 out of 90 had evidence of disease in PET/CT scans after treatment. Patients with a positive PET scan were more likely to have higher PSA levels. The BFSR for PET-positive patients was 74%, and 82% for PET-negative patients. There was no significant difference noted between these two groups. 

This study showed that the addition of PSMA PET/CT to identify the exact location of disease could improve treatment outcomes.

This study looked at data already collected which may have affected results. 

You may discuss with your doctor all the possible treatments for prostate cancer.