Pattern of Prostate Cancer Recurrence Assessed by 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in Men Treated with Primary Local Therapy

Imaging plays a vital role in detecting the recurrence of prostate cancer (PCa) to guide the choice of salvage therapy. Gallium-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT) is useful for detecting PCa recurrence. We assessed the pattern of PCa recurrence stratified by serum prostate-specific antigen level and type of primary local treatment in men with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after primary local therapy with radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) using Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT. We reviewed patients imaged with Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT for the localization of the site of PCa recurrence. We determined the site and number of lesions due to PCa recurrence at different PSA levels. A total of 247 men (mean age of 65.72 +/- 7.51 years and median PSA of 2.70 ng/mL (IQR = 0.78-5.80)) were included. Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT detected the site of recurrence in 81.4% of patients with a median number of lesions per patient of 1 (range = 1-5). Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT positivity was 43.6%, 75.7%, 83.3%, 90.0%, and 95.8% at PSA levels of <0.5, 0.5-1.0., 1.1-2.0, 2.1-5.0, and 5.0-10.0, respectively. The most common site of recurrence was in the prostate gland/bed at all PSA levels. Pelvic, extra-pelvic, and combined pelvic and extra-pelvic sites of recurrence were seen in 118, 50, and 33 patients, respectively. The risk of extra-pelvic recurrence increases with rising PSA levels. Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT has a high lesion detection rate for biochemical recurrence of PCa in patients previously treated with primary local therapy.

Automated summary

Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT plays a crucial role in guiding salvage therapy for detecting prostate cancer recurrence, demonstrating a high lesion detection rate for biochemical recurrence in patients previously treated with primary local therapy. Risk of extra-pelvic recurrence increases with rising PSA levels.