Weighing the risks and benefits of new PET scans for prostate cancer
Optimizing prostate cancer care: integrating risks, benefits, and patient experiences in the new era of molecular imaging
This project looks at how new PET imaging changes care for men with prostate cancer so patients can make clearer choices about testing and treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11188979 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have prostate cancer, this project aims to show how adding modern PET scans can change what happens next—like starting more treatments earlier or finding tiny spread sooner. The team will build a decision model that combines national medical records, imaging use data, costs, and patient-experience information to map benefits and harms. They will analyze large U.S. databases and other real-world sources to estimate effects on survival, treatment side effects, psychological impact, and healthcare costs. The goal is to produce clearer information patients and doctors can use when deciding whether to get PET imaging.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with prostate cancer facing staging or recurrence decisions—especially those considering PET imaging—are the main group who could benefit from the findings.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer or those whose care does not involve PET imaging are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help patients and doctors decide when PET scans are likely to improve outcomes and when they may cause unnecessary treatments or harms.
How similar studies have performed: New PET scans have been shown to improve diagnostic accuracy, but there is limited evidence that they improve patient-centered outcomes, so this combined real-world and decision-modeling approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leapman, Michael Stuart — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Leapman, Michael Stuart
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 below.