Early warning system for recurrent prostate cancer
C-11 Choline PET scanning detects recurrent prostate cancer throughout the body.
Prostate is the most common cancer among men.
- Prostate: 109.3*
- Lung Cancer: 71.6*
- Colorectal: 44.8*
* Rates per 100,000 men in the U.S.
A new case of prostate cancer is diagnosed every 2.3 minutes.
1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
20-30% will experience a recurrence of prostate cancer (over 90,000 annually).
Recurrent prostate cancer can occur anywhere in the body.
It can be difficult to locate using traditional imaging techniques (CT, MRI and bone scans).
The C-11 Choline PET scan makes recurrent prostate cancers "glow."
This reveals metastatic lesions in about 1/3 of men in whom other imaging methods found none.
How C-11 Choline PET scanning works:
- A carbon atom in the vitamin choline is made radioactive by lab technicians.
- A small amount of the C-11 choline is injected into the blood stream.
- Prostate cancers rapidly absorb C-11 choline from the bloodstream.
- A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan detects high concentrations of C-11 choline.
The C-11 Choline PET scan helps physicians to...
- React quickly (months or years earlier than other imaging methods).
- Craft more targeted therapies.
- Gauge effectiveness of treatment through repeat scanning.
Sources: MayoClinic.org; CDC.gov