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Clinical

The appropriateness of PSMA PET/CT in newly diagnosed unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients—towards a tumor volume-based risk stratification

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 28, pages 834–836 (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives

This study reassesses the diagnostic value of PSMA PET/CT in unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) and validates the Prostate Cancer Network the Netherlands (PCNN) subclassification.

Subjects/methods

Men subjected to PSMA PET/CT were analyzed, evaluating the incidence of metastatic disease and its correlation with PCNN subgroups.

Results

Metastatic disease was identified in 12.4% of patients. Higher PCNN subgroups correlated with increased metastatic potential; odds were significantly lower in low metastatic potential cases (OR: 0.19, 95% CI 0.06–0.62; p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Our findings reaffirm PSMA PET/CT’s diagnostic value in unfavorable intermediate-risk PCa and validate the PCNN subclassification, reducing scan burden by 48.1%.

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Data availability

The research data for this study is available from the corresponding authors on reasonable requests.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Marinus J. Hagens, Wietske I. Luining.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute—Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital (NCI-AVL), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marinus J. Hagens, Pim J. van Leeuwen & Henk G. van der Poel

  2. Department of Urology, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marinus J. Hagens, Wietske I. Luining, André N. Vis & Henk G. van der Poel

  3. Prostate Cancer Network Netherlands, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Marinus J. Hagens, Wietske I. Luining, Ton A. Roeleveld, André N. Vis, Pim J. van Leeuwen & Henk G. van der Poel

  4. Department of Urology, OLVG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Liselotte M. S. Boevé

  5. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands

    Remco J. J. Knol

  6. Department of Urology, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar, The Netherlands

    Ton A. Roeleveld

  7. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Zaans Medisch Centrum, Zaandam, The Netherlands

    Sandra Srbljin

  8. Department of Urology, Zaans Medisch Centrum, Zaandam, The Netherlands

    Saskia Weltings

  9. Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jose C. C. Koppes & Daniela E. Oprea-Lager

Authors
  1. Marinus J. Hagens
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  2. Wietske I. Luining
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  9. Daniela E. Oprea-Lager
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  10. André N. Vis
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  11. Pim J. van Leeuwen
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  12. Henk G. van der Poel
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Contributions

Study concept and design: MJH, WIL, ANV, DEOL, PJVL, HGVDP; Statistical Analysis: MJH, WIL; Interpretation: MJH, WIL, ANV, DEOL, PJVL, HGVDP; Initial drafting of manuscript: MJH, WIL; Critical review: LMSB, RK, TAR, SS, SW, JCCK, DEOL, ANV, PJVL, HGVDP.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marinus J. Hagens.

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Hagens, M.J., Luining, W.I., Boevé, L.M.S. et al. The appropriateness of PSMA PET/CT in newly diagnosed unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients—towards a tumor volume-based risk stratification. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 28, 834–836 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-024-00899-9

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