Regularly scheduled FET PET scans over extended periods help clinicians confidently monitor fluctuating lesions. This longitudinal data provides the reassurance needed to be patient and avoid prematurely escalating treatment for what may ultimately prove to be benign, treatment-related changes.
Standard guidelines for treating metastatic prostate cancer are based on conventional imaging (CT/bone scan). The panel argues that PSMA PET-positive biochemical recurrence represents a different, earlier disease state. This necessitates new treatment paradigms, like definitive therapy durations, not covered by current guidelines.
A blinded central radiology review is not the absolute gold standard for assessing patient progression. Expert clinicians argue their holistic assessment, incorporating the patient's clinical status and other biomarkers alongside scans, provides critical context that a disconnected reviewer lacks.
The effectiveness of radioligand therapy is counterintuitive: as tumors shrink and PSMA binding sites decrease, less radiation is delivered to the cancer. The VISION trial showed the first two doses delivered more radiation to the tumor than the subsequent four, questioning the value of a fixed, prolonged treatment schedule.
Clinicians are concerned about the overuse of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for oligoprogressive disease, a practice dubbed 'Pokemon' (gotta catch 'em all). This approach of sequentially radiating new lesions can delay the start of more effective systemic therapies and is not considered a standard of care.
In cases of suspected glioma recurrence post-radiation, FET PET imaging can provide a more accurate diagnosis than MRI perfusion, even when MRI findings suggest tumor growth. This allows clinicians to avoid unnecessary changes in therapy based on potentially misleading MRI data.
For patients with oligometastatic disease who achieve a deep PSA response (e.g., to zero), oncologists consider finite treatment durations (e.g., 18-24 months) followed by observation. This "do less harm" approach challenges the standard of continuous therapy until progression, aiming for long-term treatment-free intervals.
The InVigor11 study was the first to show that detecting recurrence via a ctDNA test before it's visible on scans is not just a prognostic sign, but an actionable clinical state. Intervening with therapy at this early stage was proven to improve patient outcomes, establishing a new paradigm for cancer surveillance.
A practical method to monitor radioligand therapy is a post-treatment SPECT scan. Since the therapeutic agent is radioactive, a simple planar scan about 24 hours after injection can visually confirm where the drug was delivered. This provides real-time feedback, beyond PSA levels, to potentially adapt treatment.
In low-grade gliomas, FET PET can pinpoint metabolically active regions within larger, non-specific areas of flare signal abnormality. This helps neurosurgeons target biopsies or resections to the most aggressive parts of the tumor, potentially identifying transformation to a higher grade.
The intensity and volume of FET PET activity serve as a powerful prognostic marker in glioma patients. Even when imaging suggests treatment-related changes rather than active tumor, elevated PET signals still correlate with a worse overall outcome, providing an additional layer of risk stratification.