Molecular Targeted Positron Emission Tomography Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Simple Summary Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a dismal prognosis, mainly due to difficulty in early detection of the disease by current imaging modalities. In this review, we discuss the more specific diagnostic imaging modality that evaluates the presence of specific tumour tracers via positron emission tomography. In addition, we review the available therapeutic applications of these tumour-specific tracers. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has an inauspicious prognosis, mainly due to difficulty in early detection of the disease by the current imaging modalities. The upcoming development of tumour-specific tracers provides an alternative solution for more accurate diagnostic imaging techniques for staging and therapy response monitoring. The future goal to strive for, in a patient with PDAC, should definitely be first to receive a diagnostic dose of an antibody labelled with a radionuclide and to subsequently receive a therapeutic dose of the same labelled antibody with curative intent. In the first part of this paper, we summarise the available evidence on tumour-targeted diagnostic tracers for molecular positron emission tomography (PET) imaging that have been tested in humans, together with their clinical indications. Tracers such as radiolabelled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-in particular, F-18-labelled PSMA-already validated and successfully implemented in clinical practice for prostate cancer, also seem promising for PDAC. In the second part, we discuss the theranostic applications of these tumour-specific tracers. Although targeted radionuclide therapy is still in its infancy, lessons can already be learned from early publications focusing on dose fractioning and adding a radiosensitiser, such as gemcitabine.

Automated summary

This review discusses the use of more specific diagnostic imaging modalities for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that evaluate the presence of specific tumour tracers via positron emission tomography, as well as the available therapeutic applications of these tumour-specific tracers.