Enhanced Prostate Cancer Outcomes Through Advanced Imaging Techniques
A Danish study shows that using PSMA PET/CT imaging before salvage radiotherapy significantly enhances survival rates in men with recurrent prostate cancer, supporting its role in personalized treatment planning.
Recent research from Denmark demonstrates that utilizing PSMA PET/CT imaging prior to salvage radiotherapy substantially improves the survival prospects of men experiencing biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. This nationwide study analyzed data collected over eight years, comparing outcomes between patients who received PSMA PET/CT scans before treatment and those who did not.
Prostate cancer patients often face biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy, which occurs in up to 40% of cases. Salvage radiotherapy remains a key curative approach, but its success heavily depends on accurately locating recurrent cancer. Traditionally, imaging methods such as bone scans, CT, or MRI were used, but PSMA PET/CT has emerged as a superior modality due to its high diagnostic accuracy.
"It is widely accepted that PSMA PET/CT outperforms other imaging techniques for prostate cancer relapse detection and can significantly influence treatment strategies," explained Anna W. Mogensen, a researcher at Aalborg University Hospital. However, whether these imaging-guided treatment adjustments translate into improved patient survival was previously unclear.
The study involved 844 patients treated with salvage radiotherapy in Denmark from 2015 to 2023, with 308 undergoing PSMA PET/CT prior to treatment. Results revealed that patients who had PSMA PET/CT scans exhibited higher overall survival rates—99.5% at two years and 98.1% at five years—compared to 97.8% and 93.8% in patients without the scans. Additionally, three-year biochemical recurrence-free survival was higher in the PSMA PET/CT group.
"Our findings suggest that PSMA PET/CT scans enable clinicians to better identify candidates most likely to benefit from salvage radiotherapy, leading to more personalized and effective treatment plans," Mogensen noted. The research highlights the importance of integrating advanced nuclear medicine imaging into routine prostate cancer management.
Since its introduction into Denmark in 2015, widespread adoption of PSMA PET/CT has helped refine treatment approaches. This large-scale analysis underscores that early, precise imaging before salvage radiotherapy can meaningfully extend survival and improve long-term outcomes for prostate cancer patients.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-specialized-imaging-prostate-cancer-survival.html
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