PSMA PET Scans Help Detect Recurrent Prostate Cancer

After surgery or radiation therapy, some men’s PSA levels begin to rise again, suggesting that prostate cancer may have returned. Finding the location of recurrent cancer is critical because it helps physicians choose the most appropriate treatment.

Researchers reviewed 43 studies involving more than 8,000 men who underwent PSMA PET imaging after treatment for prostate cancer.

The analysis showed that PSMA PET scans become increasingly effective as PSA levels rise, but they can often detect recurrent cancer even when PSA levels are still quite low. The scans most identified cancer in the pelvic lymph nodes or the area where the prostate had originally been located.

The researchers concluded that PSMA PET has become one of the most valuable imaging tools for evaluating recurrent prostate cancer. Earlier detection of recurrence may allow physicians to begin targeted treatment sooner and potentially improve long-term outcomes.

Additional research will help determine exactly when PSMA PET should be performed after radiation therapy and how best to use the information it provides.

European Urology. 2025.