Using PSMA PET-CT scans to improve monitoring during active surveillance for prostate cancer
Official title: ESCAPE - Evaluation of Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography in Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11301840 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project checks whether adding PSMA PET-CT scans helps find aggressive prostate cancer earlier in men who are being closely watched instead of treated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $698,716 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA282407-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11301840 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with low-risk prostate cancer who are enrolled in or considering active surveillance and who can undergo imaging and biopsies are the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Men already receiving definitive treatment (surgery or radiation), men with known high-risk prostate cancer, or those unable to have PET-CT scans are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
If you have low-risk prostate cancer and are on active surveillance, researchers will add PSMA PET-CT scans to the usual monitoring that includes PSA tests, MRI, and occasional biopsies. They will compare how often PSMA PET-CT spots clinically significant cancer versus current methods and may use the imaging to guide targeted biopsies. The goal is to catch cancers that need treatment sooner while avoiding unnecessary biopsies and treatments for indolent disease. Follow-up will include scheduled imaging, lab tests, and biopsies as needed based on results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors detect harmful prostate cancers earlier and reduce unnecessary biopsies and treatments for men on active surveillance.
How similar studies have gone: MRI has improved detection but still misses about 20% of significant cancers, and early work suggests PSMA PET-CT is promising for finding clinically important disease though its use in active surveillance is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcclure, Timothy — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Mcclure, Timothy
Related research
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Evaluating a new imaging technique for monitoring prostate cancer in men on active surveillance
This study is looking at how a special imaging test called PSMA PET-CT can help doctors better monitor prostate cancer in men who are being watched closely instead of treated right away, with the goal of reducing unnecessary treatments and side effects for those with low-risk cancer.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.