Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and is often hard to detect once it spreads or recurs, making it challenging to treat timely. Recently, Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography or PSMA PET imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for the detection of hidden or early returning prostate cancer.

PSMA PET uses a special dye with a targeted tracer that specifically binds to prostate cancer cells causing them to appear more clearly on imaging scans. This new technology can detect prostate cancer that has returned – sometimes even before traditional imaging can detect anything – helping to guide treatment earlier and more precisely. However, while incredibly beneficial the novel nature of PSMA PET has left doctors facing big questions such as: When should PSMA PET be used? How should it change treatment plans? and What happens if the scan is negative but other tests indicate rising risk?.  

Now, a new expert review by Nataniel Lester-Coll, MD and other prostate cancer specialists from the University of Vermont Cancer Center, University of Miami, Tata Memorial Hospital (India), and Massachusetts General Hospital offers recommendations to guide the use of PSMA PET scans for prostate cancer. The review, published in Practical Radiation Oncology, brings together available evidence and frontline experience to offer clear, practical guidance. In areas where strong data or national guidelines are still lacking, the authors provide thoughtful, consensus-based recommendations to help doctors make the best decisions with their patients, providing a roadmap for navigating a rapidly evolving area of cancer care.

Currently, clinical trials are underway to test how PSMA PET guided treatment affects long-term patient outcomes including survival, quality of life, and whether the use of PSMA PET can delay or avoid more intensive treatments. These studies will help confirm and expand the expert recommendations provided in this review. 

You can read the full review here.