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Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MIT) Clinical Trials

In addition to performing routine clinical PET/CT scans, the MIT program in Vancouver also conducts clinical trials investigating new PET radiotracers.

These trials are approved by the UBC BC Cancer Research Ethics Board and Health Canada.

For more information, click "+" on the trials below.

18F-DCFPyL (PSMA) PET/CT for Assessment of Recurrent Prostate Cancer 

Principal Investigator: Dr. François Bénard
BC Cancer
600 W 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4E6
PET MIT Study Line: 604-675-7636
Fax Referrals to: 604-877-6245



Below are the patient referral form and the main study consent form for adult patients.  Patients should not sign the consent form prior to arrival for their PET/CT scan. The consent forms are available for review purposes only.


Please contact the MIT study team for more information about referrals mitclinicaltrials@bccancer.bc.ca 


Please note that there is currently a waitlist for this study that can be up to 7 months long.


Rationale & Background

Most patients with prostate cancer will be successfully treated with surgery or radiation therapy, a small proportion of patients will develop recurrence of disease at some time in their life. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is measured from a blood test and used to monitor the status of the cancer. When there is an unexpected and persistent rise in the PSA, this raises concern that the cancer may have returned. Imaging studies like magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography or bone scans are commonly performed for this purpose but may not always be able to detect cancer cells, especially when it is in the early stages.

 

This study is investigating the usefulness of an alternative test with a positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (PET/CT) scan using a radioactive tracer called 18F-DCFPyL. 18F-DCFPyL is an agent that binds to a special protein in the human body called prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Studies have shown that PSMA is found in many prostate cancer cells, especially when the cancer comes back after treatment. 

 

18F-DCFPyL will be made at the BC Cancer - Vancouver. It is considered investigational but has been used safely in preliminary human research studies without serious undesirable effects.


Objectives

The purpose of this study is to determine how accurate a 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT scan is in detecting prostate cancer recurrence.


Study Design

This is a prospective single cohort study to evaluate the diagnostic utility of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT in detecting sites of recurrent prostate cancer, in patients who have negative or equivocal findings on conventional imaging. 


 The study involves one PET/CT exam using 18F-DCFPyL. All patient referrals that meet the indications for performing this test should be faxed to the Functional Imaging Department at BC Cancer – Vancouver.


Participant Inclusion Criteria

  • Participants with findings on other examinations (such as plain x-ray, CT, MRI or bone scintigraphy and others) that are suspicious for metastatic disease but not conclusively diagnostic of metastatic disease.
    • However, patients newly diagnosed, with untreated prostate cancer, CAPRA score 6-10, or stage cN1, will be NOT be eligible. 
  • Known PC with BR after initial curative therapy with radiation therapy (including brachytherapy), with a PSA level >2 ng/mL above the nadir after radiation therapy.
  • Castration resistant PC with a minimum PSA of 2.0 ng/mL with 2 consecutive rises above the nadir and castrate levels of testosterone (<1.7 nmol/L). Treatment does not need to be discontinued before the 18F-DCFPyL scan.
  • ECOG performance status of 2 or less.
 

68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT in Neuroendocrine Tumours


Principal Investigator: Dr. François Bénard
BC Cancer
600 W 10th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4E6
PET MIT Study Line: 604-675-7636
Fax Referrals to: 604-877-6245


Below are the patient referral form and the main study consent form for adult patients.  Patients should not sign the consent form prior to arrival for their PET/CT scan. The consent forms are available for review purposes only.

 

Rationale & background

Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) arise from neural and endocrine cells which derive from the primitive cells of the neural crest and represent a heterogeneous group of tumours with distinct biology and clinical behaviour. Although most tumours are generally indolent, they can be aggressive and resistant to therapy. A unique feature of NETs is the over-expression of somatostatin receptor (SSTR). NETs are assessed with morphological imaging such as ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). NETs can also be imaged using radiolabelled SSTR analogs (like 111In-pentetreotide). 68Ga-DOTA peptides were shown to have significantly higher SSTR binding affinity compared to 111In-pentetreotide.


Objectives

To demonstrate the safety and sensitivity of 68Gallium-DOTATOC (68Ga-DOTATOC) Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in diagnosis, staging and detection of SSTR positive tumours, particularly NETs.


Study design

Up to 810 adult patients will be invited to take part in this study. The study involves two PET/CT exams, one using 68Ga-DOTATOC and the other using 18F-FDG. All patient referrals that meet the indications for performing this test should be faxed to the Functional Imaging Department at BC Cancer – Vancouver.

The indication for performing this test is the need for non-invasive, functional imaging for either staging or re-staging of:


  • Gastroenteropancreatic tumours (e.g. carcinoids, gastrinoma, insulinoma, glucagonoma, VIPoma, etc.), functioning and non-functioning
  • Sympathoadrenal system tumours (pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma, neuroblastoma, ganglioneuroma)
  • Medullary thyroid carcinoma
  • Pituitary adenoma
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Merkel cell carcinoma
  • Small-cell lung cancer (mainly primary tumours)
  • Meningioma
  • Or any other NET / with potential for overexpression of SSTR
 
 
SOURCE: Molecular Imaging and Therapy (MIT) Clinical Trials ( )
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