Summary

A novel PET radiotracer can accurately assess the presence of a biomarker that indicates the level of tumor aggressiveness in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). According to research published in the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the detection of the biomarker provides useful information for physicians to provide personalized care for patients with NENs and may also serve as a potential target for peptide radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for NEN patients.

What is uPAR? 

Tumorigenesis (the production or formation of a tumour or tumours) is closely related to the loss of control of many genes. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), a glycolipid-anchored protein on the cell surface, is controlled by many factors in tumorigenesis and is expressed in many tumor tissues. 

What is different about targeting uPAR instead of somatostatin receptors? 

uPAR expression was seen in most patients with both low-grade and high-grade NENs. uPAR-positive lesions were noted in 68 percent of all patients and in 75 percent of patients with high-grade NENs. High uPAR expression was associated with lower progression-free and overall survival data.  A spokesperson from the trial said, “These findings are most encouraging as they imply that uPAR could be an attractive target for therapy both because of the availability of the target in patients with NENs and because of the possibility of specifically targeting lesions associated with poorer prognosis.  As many neuroendocrine tumors—particularly those of higher grades—are not eligible for the currently available somatostatin PRRT, uPAR PRRT could become a viable therapeutic option for these patients.”