MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine is implementing the latest technologies for prostate cancer care. The Department of Radiology at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital will be the only location in West Virginia to offer a new, FDA-approved prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) imaging agent, called PYLARIFY, to evaluate patients with prostate cancer.
PYLARIFY attaches to PSMA, a protein found on the surface of most — approximately 95 percent — prostate cancer cells. By targeting PSMA, PYLARIFY can give physicians a clear image and additional information on the location and extent of the cancer. It uses a radioactive tracer called fluorine-18, or 18F, which helps create a clear and more detailed PET/CT scan image for the provider. A clearer image also provides improved insights, which can lead to more informed treatment choices.
“This new PET agent, along with state-of-the-art PET/CT imaging, is a diagnostic tool that will allow us to locate suspected metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer earlier,” Daniel Martin, M.D., medical director of Molecular Imaging and Department of Radiology vice chair for clinical operations, said. “This is a huge step forward and will help oncologists navigate the patient’s plan of care.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States. It is also one of the leading causes of cancer death among men of all races and Hispanic origin populations. If diagnosed early, many prostate cancers grow slowly and do not cause any health problems in men who have them.
“The PSMA PET/CT scan will provide accurate and early detection of the patient’s disease and direct our treatment plans more efficiently to achieve optimal results for our patients,” Adam Luchey, M.D., urologic oncologist at the WVU Cancer Institute, said.
For more information, patients can contact the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at 304-598-4500 or the PET/CT Department at 304-293-1884.
For more information on WVU Medicine, visit WVUMedicine.org.
