This month, Icon Cancer Centre has shared more about PSMA-PET and why this testing approach is the most accurate way to detect prostate cancer. The below article features insights from Icon Cancer Centre Radiation Oncologist Dr David Pryor.
How PSMA-PET scans help detect and treat prostate cancer
Men diagnosed with prostate cancer may be recommended a PSMA-PET scan to get the clearest picture of the cancer. This scan can provide detailed information beyond standard scans with new PSMA-targeted radioactive drugs and can be helpful when prostate cancer is first diagnosed, if the cancer returns after initial treatment, or when considering treatment of more advanced disease.
At Icon Cancer Centre, we use an integrated testing approach to ensure every patient receives the most accurate diagnosis and treatment plan possible. The PSMA-PET scan is one of the most advanced tools available, offering a highly precise way to detect and assess prostate cancer in the body.
What is a PET scan?
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a medical imaging technique whereby a small amount of radioactive material (known as a tracer) is injected into the bloodstream.
For most other cancers, the tracer is often linked to a type of sugar that cancer cells absorb. As cancers grow, they "light up" on the scan, giving doctors a clearer picture of where the cancer might be. Unlike many other cancers, prostate cancer often grows slowly and doesn't always show up clearly on a standard PET scan. That's where PSMA-PET comes in.
What makes PSMA-PET different?
Instead of sugar, a PSMA-PET scan uses a special tracer that attaches to a protein found on most prostate cancer cells called Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA). This enables the scan to detect very small deposits of prostate cancer, sometimes only a few millimetres in size, which may not be visible with other imaging.
The ProPSMA study showed that PSMA PET/CT is far more accurate than standard scans for high-risk prostate cancer, correctly staging 92% of cases compared to 65%. A recent Danish study also found that men whose cancer returned lived longer when this scan was used before radiation treatment.
Who can benefit?
Knowing exactly where the prostate cancer is and whether it has spread allows doctors to improve treatment options for patients who have been diagnosed.
PSMA-PET scans are especially useful for:
- Men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer - to help see where the cancer is and whether it has spread.
- Men whose prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has risen after initial surgery or radiation therapy - to help us best tailor any subsequent treatments.
- Men with a small number of metastatic sites (sometimes called oligometastases) may be suitable for additional treatments such as stereotactic radiation therapy to target those sites.
- Men with more advanced cancer - PSMA-PET scans are used to assess whether men may be suitable for a new type of therapy which uses an injectable radioactive drug to target and kill the cancer cells that have PSMA on their surface. This new form of therapy, linked to diagnostic imaging, is called theranostics.
Access to PSMA-PET in Australia
Australia has been a leader in adopting this technology, with PSMA-PET scans now available in many metropolitan and regional cities. At Icon Cancer Centre, patients can feel confident knowing they have access to these advanced scans and radiology services at many of our centres nationwide, ensuring more men have access to the latest in screening, closer to home. Icon is also expanding its theranostics service to allow more patients to access this cutting-edge treatment.
Watch this short video to learn more about how PSMA-PET scans work, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GbdJuDqdi7M&pp=0gcJCRsBo7VqN5tD
