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Imaging the Extent of Prostate Cancer
Untitled Document
Name of the Trial
Phase I/II Pilot Study of Carbon-11 Acetate Positron Emission Tomography and
3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer
Undergoing Prostatectomy (NCI-08-C-0092). See the protocol
summary.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Peter Choyke, NCI Center for Cancer Research
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Dr. Peter Choyke
Principal Investigator |
Why This Trial Is Important
When doctors suspect a man has prostate cancer, they often use ultrasound to
create images of the prostate gland and perform a series of core biopsies to
collect samples of prostate tissue. Unfortunately, ultrasound does not provide
very detailed images of prostate tumors, and "hit-or-miss" biopsy
samples may not reveal the aggressiveness of the cancer. It is important, therefore,
to develop more sensitive methods to detect and characterize prostate tumors.
Some other imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron
emission tomography (PET), offer some benefits in detecting and characterizing
prostate cancer, but both of these methods still lack the required level of
sensitivity. MRI can help determine the physical boundaries of tumor tissue,
but it is not very useful in assessing which parts of the tumor are most actively
growing. PET scans using radiolabeled-glucose molecules are capable of revealing
areas of rapid cell growth in many tumor types; however, prostate tissue does
not readily metabolize glucose, making glucose-based PET scans unreliable for
prostate cancer.
In this clinical trial, researchers are testing PET scans using a different
radiolabeled molecule, carbon-11 (C-11) acetate, in conjunction with subsequent
MRI to see if the resulting images allow better characterization of both the
physical extent and the relative level of cellular growth of prostate tumors
in patients known to have prostate cancer. Following the imaging tests, the
patients will undergo surgery to remove their prostates. The removed prostates
will then be examined to assess the accuracy of the imaging scans.
"Detecting cancer when it is still confined to the prostate gland is the
key to long survival," said Dr. Choyke. "Unfortunately, current imaging
techniques have very poor sensitivity for prostate cancer. Our purpose with
this study is to validate the use of both C-11 acetate PET and the latest MRI
technology to detect cancer at an early stage.
"This research complements other treatment and diagnostic work at NIH,
including research in robotic prostatectomy, image-guided radiotherapy, and
minimally invasive radio-diagnostic procedures, making NCI a unique institution
for the treatment of prostate cancer," Dr. Choyke added.
For More Information
See the list of entry
criteria and trial
contact information or call the NCI Clinical Trials Referral Office at 1-888-NCI-1937.
The call is toll free and confidential.
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