New nuclear medicine tracers make it easier to diagnose and treat cancer


"Having an additional diagnostic tool opens up a new door for cancer patients," said Uwe Haberkorn, MD, professor of nuclear medicine at the University Hospital of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany. "For those who are facing unmet diagnostic challenges--unclear tumor segmentation for radiation therapy, suspicion of false-negative findings, or selection of last-line experimental treatment--68Ga-FAPI may help to provide answers."

In processes involving remodeling of tissue (e.g., wound healing), cells called fibroblasts are activated by several factors, including TGF?? leading to the expression of the fibroblast activation protein (FAP). This protein is produced in abnormally large amounts in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which promote tumor growth, migration and progression. 68Ga-FAPI is a new class of radiopharmaceutical that can precisely target CAF activity to aid physicians in diagnosis of cancer. As CAFs are present in more than 90 percent of epithelial carcinomas--including, for example, breast, lung, colon, pancreatic, and head and neck cancers--they are an attractive target for both diagnostic imaging and therapy.


Patients benefited from needing no diet changes or preparation for the PET/CT imaging. "A shorter waiting time and shorter scan time can increase patient comfort, which can be especially important for sick patients," Haberkorn stated. "The possibility of early imaging--for example, after only 10 minutes instead of an hour--could also play a part in simplifying clinical workflow."


"FAPI tracers are a promising avenue for cancer treatment," Haberkorn noted. "What's more, in the future FAPI imaging may also be used to assess and manage cardiac diseases or fibrotic diseases of the lung, liver and kidneys."


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