Introduction A targeted theragnostic approach based on increased expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on PC cells is an attractive treatment option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Methods Ten consecutive mCRPC patients were selected for 177 Lu-PSMA617 therapy on the basis of PSMA-targeted 68

PurposeTo determine the value of 68Ga-DOTA-TOC and 18F-FDG PET/CT for initial and follow-up evaluation of patients with neuroendocrine tumour (NET) treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT).MethodsWe evaluated 66 patients who had histologically proven NET and underwent both PRRT and three combined 68Ga-DOTA-TOC and 18F-FDG PET/CT studies. 68Ga-DOTA-TOC PET/CT was performed before PRRT, 3 months after completion of PRRT and after a further 6 – 9 months. 18F-FDG PET/CT was done within 2 months of 68Ga-DOTA-TOC PET/CT. Follow-up ranged from 11.8 to 80.0 months (mean 34.5 months).ResultsAll patients were 68Ga-DOTA-TOC PET-positive initially and at follow-up after the first full PRRT cycle. Overall, 62 of the 198 18F-FDG PET studies (31 %) were true-positive in 38 of the 66 patients (58 %). Of the 66 patients, 28 (5 grade 1, 23 grade 2) were 18F-FDG-negative initially and during follow-up (group 1), 24 (5 grade 1, 13 grade 2, 6 grade 3) were 18F-FDG-positive initially and during follow-up (group 2), 9 patients (2 grade 1, 6 grade 2, 1 grade 3) were 18F-FDG-negative initially but 18F-FDG-positive during follow-up (group 3), and 5 patients (all grade 2) were 18F-FDG-positive initially but 18F-FDG-negative during follow-up (group 4).18F-FDG PET showed more and/or larger metastases than 68Ga-DOTA-TOC PET in five patients of group 2 and four patients of group 3, all with progressive disease. In three patients with progressive disease who died during follow-up tumour SUVmax increased by 41 – 82 % from the first to the last follow-up investigation.ConclusionIn NET patients, the presence of 18F-FDG-positive tumours correlates strongly with a higher risk of progression. Initially, patients with 18F-FDG-negative NET may show 18F-FDG-positive tumours during follow-up. Also patients with grade 1 and grade 2 NET may have 18F-FDG-positive tumours. Therefore, 18F-FDG PET/CT is a complementary tool to 68Ga-DOTA-TOC PET/CT with clinical relevance for molecular investigation.

PurposeHealth-related quality of life (HRQOL) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) research has so far received little attention and available results are conflicting. We studied the HRQOL of radioiodine-naive DTC patients in comparison with the general population (GP), investigated the course of HRQOL up to 30 months after radioiodine remnant ablation (RAA) and sought to identify patient characteristics associated with HRQOL.MethodsWe analysed data from routine HRQOL monitoring at a nuclear medicine department. Between 2005 and 2013, a total of 439 thyroid cancer patients (all histologies) completed the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (QLQ-C30) at least once during their treatment at the department. We compared patients’ baseline HRQOL scores before RAA with scores from age-matched and sex-matched controls from the Austrian GP. We then determined the course of HRQOL over the 30 months after RAA and assessed the impact of the following clinical variables on HRQOL: method of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation, histology (papillary vs. follicular) and disease stage.ResultsA total of 284 patients (mean age 48.3 years, SD 15.0 years; 71.6 % women; 80.7 % papillary type) with a baseline HRQOL assessment before RAA were available. We found clinically meaningful differences in the detriment in patients on almost all domains. These were largest for fatigue (23 points) and role functioning (25 points). Data from 241 patients (mean age 48.6 years, SD 15.9 years; 68.9 % women; 76.3 % papillary type) were included in the longitudinal analysis. Investigating the course of HRQOL, a significant improvement over time was found for role and emotional functioning, fatigue, pain, and dyspnoea. A range of HRQOL scores were improved in patients with exogenous TSH stimulation, but some scores both in patients with exogenous TSH stimulation and in those followed for 30 months, especially fatigue and role functioning, did not reach levels in the GP sample.ConclusionOur results show that the favourable prognosis of DTC does not directly translate into good HRQOL in these patients. Persistent restrictions in regaining their normal daily life in terms of work and leisure highlight the importance of more detailed investigation of DTC patients’ wellbeing, support needs, and disease experience.

Introduction A new therapeutic option for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) of heavily pre-treated patients lies in 177 Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy. Methods On the basis of PSMA-targeted 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, 32 consecutive mCRPC patients were selected for 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy (6 GBq/cycle, 2 to 6 cycles, 6-10 weeks apart) and followed until death. Post-therapy whole-body (WB) dosimetry and 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT data were compared and related to progression free and overall survival. Results 177 Lu-PSMA-617 dosimetry after the first cycle indicated high tumor doses for skeletal (4.01 ± 2.64; range 1.10-13.00 Gy/GBq), lymph node (3.12 ± 2.07; range 0.70-8.70 Gy/GBq), and liver (2.97 ± 1.38; range 0.76-5.00 Gy/GBq) metastases whereas the dose for tissues/organs was acceptable in all patients for an intention-to-treat activity of 24 GBq. Any PSA decrease after the first cycle was found in 23/32 (72%), after the second cycle in 22/32 (69%), after the third cycle in 16/28 (57%), and after the fourth cycle in 8/18 (44%) patients. Post-therapy 24 h WB scintigraphy showed decreased tumor-to-background ratios in 24/ 32 (75%) after the first therapy cycle, after the second cycle in 17/29 (59%), and after the third cycle in 13/21 (62%) patients. The median PFS was 7 months and the median OS 12 months. In the group of PSA responders (n = 22) the median OS was 17 months versus 11 months in the group of non-responders (n = 10), p < 0.05. Decreasing SUV max values were found for parotid (15.93 ± 6.23 versus 12.33 ± 4.07) and submandibular glands (17.65 ± 7.34 versus 13.12 ± 4.62) following treatment, along with transient (n = 6) or permanent (n = 2) xerostomia in 8/32 (25%) patients. In 3/32 patients, nephrotoxicity changed from Grade 2 to 3, whereas neither Grade 4 nephrotoxicity nor hematotoxicity was found. In most patients a good agreement was observed for the visual interpretation of the tracer accumulation between 24 h WB and PET/CT scans. However, no significance could be calculated for baseline-absorbed tumor doses and SUV max values of tumor lesions. 5/32 (16%) patients showed a mixed response pattern, which resulted in disease progression over time. Conclusion Serial PSA measurements and post-therapy 24 h WB scintigraphy seems to allow a sufficiently accurate follow-up of 177 Lu-PSMA-617-treated mCRPC patients whereas 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT should be performed for patient selection and final response assessment.

In comparison to Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT,F-NaF PET/CT detects a higher number of pathologic bone lesions in advanced stage PC patients scheduled for radionuclide therapy. Our data suggest that Ga-PSMA-11 PET should be combined withF-NaF PET in PC patients with skeletal metastases for restaging prior to initiation or modification of therapy.