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. 2023 Aug 1;48(8):685-688.
doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000004744. Epub 2023 Jun 17.

The Role of 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT in Breast Cancer Response Assessment and Follow-Up

Yael Eshet, Noam Tau, Keren Levanon, Rinat Bernstein-Molho, Ofer Globus, Amit Itay, Tal Shapira, Cecilie Oedegaard, Michal Eifer, Tima Davidson, Meital Nidam  1 , Einav Gal-Yam, Liran Domachevsky
Affiliations

The Role of 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT in Breast Cancer Response Assessment and Follow-Up

Yael Eshet et al. Clin Nucl Med. .

Abstract

Purpose: 68 Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI), a new PET/CT radiotracer targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts in tumor microenvironment, can detect many types of cancer. We aimed to assess whether it can also be used for response assessment and follow-up.

Methods: We followed up patients with FAPI-avid invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) before and after treatment changes and correlated qualitative maximal intensity projection images and quantitative tumor volume with CT results and blood tumor biomarkers.

Results: Six consenting ILC breast cancer patients (53 ± 8 years old) underwent a total of 24 scans (baseline for each patient and 2-4 follow-up scans). We found a strong correlation between 68 Ga-FAPI tumor volume and blood biomarkers ( r = 0.7, P < 0.01), but weak correlation between CT and 68 Ga-FAPI maximal intensity projection-based qualitative response assessment.

Conclusions: We found a strong correlation between ILC progression and regression (as assessed by blood biomarkers) and 68 Ga-FAPI tumor volume. 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT could possibly be used for disease response assessment and follow-up.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: Funding (of radiotracer and PET/CT services) was provided by Sheba Medical Center internal research fund Isotopia Molecular Imaging Ltd. The authors have no conflicts to report.

References

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    1. Eshet Y, Tau N, Apter S, et al. The role of 68 Ga-FAPI PET/CT in detection of metastatic lobular breast cancer. Clin Nucl Med . 2023;48:228–232.
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