REVIEW  THERAGNOSTICS APPLICATIONS AND CHALLENGES Free access

The Quarterly Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2021 December;65(4):333-41

DOI: 10.23736/S1824-4785.21.03419-1

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Theragnostics in prostate cancer

Andrea FAROLFI ¹ ✉, Riccardo MEI ¹, Sakaria ALI ², Paolo CASTELLUCCI ¹

¹ Division of Nuclear Medicine, IRCCS University Hospital of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; ² Department of Pediatrics, University College London Hospital, London, UK

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a molecular target for both imaging diagnostics and therapeutics, i.e., a theragnostics target. There has been a growing body of evidence supporting PSMA theragnostics approaches in the management of prostate cancer (PCa) for tailored precision medicine. Tumor characterization through PSMA-ligand PET imaging is crucial for assessing the molecular signature and eligibility for PSMA radioligand therapy. Recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of two new drug applications for PSMA PET imaging contribute to reinforce PSMA as an oncologic blockbuster. Additionally, relevant progress in the PSMA treatment has been made in the last five years. [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy for patients with progressive PSMA-avid metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) significantly increased overall survival and radiographic progression-free survival, according to the results of an international, prospective, open label, multicenter, randomized, phase III study (VISION trial). The objective of this comprehensive review is to highlight the recent advances in PCa theragnostics, focusing on actual clinical applications and future perspectives.

KEY WORDS: Prostate neoplasms; Positron-emission tomography; Precision medicine; Therapeutics