PSMA PET/CT shows uptake in half of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patientsCan a prostate cancer scan help treat aggressive breast cancer?

European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging Published April 8, 2026 Study authors: Manley Martin, Nader-Marta Guilherme, Ozturk Ayça Arcay, Kassas Mutaz, Rothé Francoise, Taraji Loubn… PubMed ↗ DOI ↗ Editorial oversight: Dr. Sofia Müller, MD · Lifespan & Whole-Person Care

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Key Takeaway

Consider PSMA PET/CT investigational for mTNBC; small study shows heterogeneous uptake in 50% of patients.

This prospective single-center imaging study evaluated 20 patients with progressive metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (median age 53.5 years, median 3 prior systemic therapies) using [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. The study assessed PSMA uptake patterns to evaluate the feasibility of potential PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy (RLT). No comparator imaging modality or treatment was reported.

On visual assessment, 50% of patients (10 of 20) showed PSMA uptake greater than healthy liver in most lesions. At the lesion level, 67% of FDG-avid target lesions (71 of 106) demonstrated quantitative PSMA positivity (SUVmax above liver). However, per-patient analyses revealed lower rates: only 35% of patients (7 of 20) had all target lesions above liver SUVmean, and 30% (6 of 20) had most lesions above this threshold. Heterogeneity was common, with 65% of patients (13 of 20) having at least one lesion below liver background. The scan identified brain metastases in 10% of patients (2 of 20).

Safety and tolerability data were not reported. Key limitations include the small sample size (n=20), single-center design, and lack of reported follow-up. The study did not test actual PSMA-targeted RLT treatment, only imaging feasibility. These results support further investigation of PSMA-targeted RLT in this biomarker-defined population but do not establish treatment efficacy. Clinical application requires validation in larger, multi-center trials with treatment outcomes.

When standard treatments stop working for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, options can run out. Researchers wondered if a scan used for prostate cancer might reveal a new target. They gave 20 patients with this aggressive, progressing cancer a special PET/CT scan that looks for a protein called PSMA.

The scan showed that half of the patients had visible PSMA uptake in most of their tumors. Looking closer, about two-thirds of the individual cancer spots lit up on the scan. However, the picture wasn't uniform. In most patients, some tumors had the target while others didn't, showing this approach might not work for every spot.

This is a small, early look from a single hospital. The scan itself wasn't a treatment, and we don't know if the patients experienced any side effects from it. The results simply suggest it's worth investigating a PSMA-targeted therapy for this specific group, but much more research is needed to see if it would actually help.

What this means for you:

A prostate cancer scan found a potential new target in half of patients with a tough breast cancer.

Study Details

EvidenceLevel 5

Follow-up642.0 mo

PublishedApr 2026

PMID41309999

View Original Abstract ↓

PURPOSE: Radioligand therapy (RLT) targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) improves survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. PSMA is also expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype with limited treatment options. This prospective study assessed PSMA uptake on [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in patients with metastatic TNBC (mTNBC) to evaluate the feasibility of PSMA-targeted RLT. METHODS: This single-center prospective study enrolled patients with progressive mTNBC. Each patient underwent [F]FDG PET/CT followed by [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. Visual PSMA positivity was defined as uptake greater than healthy liver in most lesions. For quantitative analysis, target lesions (TLs) ≥ 1.5 cm and PERCIST-measurable on FDG PET/CT were anatomically matched to PSMA PET/CT. SUVmax was measured and compared to liver background. RESULTS: Twenty patients (median age 53.5 years; median 3 prior systemic therapies) were included. On visual assessment, 50.0% had PSMA uptake exceeding liver in most lesions. Quantitative analysis included 106 FDG-avid TLs; 67.0% showed PSMA SUVmax above liver. On a per-patient basis, 35.0% had all TLs and 30.0% had most TLs above liver SUVmean. However, 65.0% had at least one lesion below liver background, indicating heterogeneity. Higher PSMA uptake was associated with fewer prior treatments, prior immunotherapy, and low androgen receptor expression. PSMA PET/CT identified brain metastases in 10.0% of patients. CONCLUSION: [Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT revealed clinically relevant PSMA expression in a subset of mTNBC patients. These results support further investigation of PSMA-targeted RLT in this biomarker-defined population.

PSMA PET/CT shows uptake in half of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patientsCan a prostate cancer scan help treat aggressive breast cancer?

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