EANM 2022 – Barcelona, Spain
Lecture Board: Mercedes Mitjavila Casanovas, MD, PhD; Christophe Deroose, MD, PhD; Rick Hermsen, MD, PhD; Oana C. Kulterer, MD; Guillaume Nicolas, MD, PhD
Medical Writer: Vishal Hegde, PhD
Publishing Editor: Anna Fenzl, PhD
Preface – EANM 2022
Dear Colleagues, After two years of virtual events, the nuclear medicine and oncology communities were excited to meet each other in person at the 35th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, held in Barcelona, Spain, and virtually from 15th – 19th October 2022. The event has celebrated its status as the world’s leading meeting for nuclear medicine, with more than 7000 participants from 121 countries presenting and discussing groundbreaking clinical updates and scientific research advancements in several disease areas.
Advances in PSMA radiotracers for prostate cancer imaging
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging is increasingly used to characterize prostate cancer (PCa). However, in Europe, there is still an unmet need for radiotracers to localize biochemical recurrences in PCa. The phase III PYTHON trial is designed to establish the efficacy and safety of [18F]DCFPyL- compared to [18F]Flurocholine-PET/CT in patients with first biochemical recurrence after initial definitive therapy (prostatectomy, external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy) for histopathologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma per original diagnosis [1].
Latest developments in prostate cancer treatment
The positive efficacy and safety data of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in the treatment of mCRPC patients from the Lu-PSMA and VISION trials led to its FDA approval and designation as a breakthrough therapy for later lines of mCRPC treatment [1,2]. 223Ra-dichloride (223RaCl2) is a targeted α-therapy and prolongs OS in patients with bone-predominant mCRPC [3].
Neuroendocrine tumor imaging updates
Guideline recommendations for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) using 177Lu- DOTA-0-Tyr3-Octreotate (DOTATATE) in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) include 3-5 cycles with a dose ranging from 5.5-7.4 GBq per cycle with 6-12 weeks intervals [1]. While PET with radionuclide-labeled somatostatin analogs (SSAs) is mandatory before PRRT, interim PET imaging is not routinely recommended.
Recent progress in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors
Five systemic therapeutic options are currently approved for advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET): Streptozotocine-based chemotherapy, everolimus, sunitinib, lanreotide, and PRRT with 177Lu-DOTA-octreotate (OCLU). For PRRT, data from retrospective studies have reported partial responses in advanced PanNET patients [1].