Peter J. Rossi, MD, a board-certified radiation oncologist affiliated with Calaway Young Cancer Center at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, considers the evidence for using molecular imaging to improve prostate cancer control post-prostatectomy, focusing on the results of the EMPIRE-1 study comparing 18F-fluciclovine-PET/CT imaging versus conventional imaging alone to guide post-prostatectomy salvage radiotherapy for prostate cancer. He explains that the results of this study indicate that approximately ⅓ of patients see changes to their radiotherapy plan based on PET uptake compared to conventional imaging alone, and that these changes result in improved and more durable failure-free survival rates. Dr. Rossi concludes by looking at future directions for research, such as comparing 18F-fluciclovine-PET/CT imaging to PSMA imaging in this setting.
