UCLA researchers have revealed that advanced imaging using PSMA-PET may uncover metastatic disease in nearly half of patients diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer, modifying treatment plans and challenging previous clinical trial practices. Their study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that many patients classified as nonmetastatic using traditional methods actually had metastases, highlighting the limitations of standard imaging techniques. PSMA-PET, which employs radiotracers to visualize prostate cancer cells, offers functional imaging that showcases the cancer’s biological activity, thereby improving staging accuracy.
The research also assessed data from patients in the EMBARK trial, which had relied solely on conventional imaging. Results showed that 46% of these patients had metastatic findings undetected by traditional methods, with some having over five lesions missed initially. This underscores the necessity of integrating PSMA-PET imaging into clinical trials for more precise patient selection. The findings prompt a critical reevaluation of treatment strategies and suggest the potential for more effective personalized therapies. Ongoing studies aim to further comprehend PSMA-PET’s impact on long-term patient outcomes, reinforcing its role in advancing prostate cancer staging and management.
