The Potential Role of PSMA-Targeted PET in Salivary Gland Malignancies: An Updated Systematic Review
Alessio Rizzo,
Domenico Albano,
Federica Elisei,
Manuela Racca,
Francesco Dondi,
Salvatore Annunziata,
Marco Cuzzocrea,
Francesco Bertagna,
Giorgio Treglia
Affiliations
Alessio Rizzo
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO—IRCCS, 10060 Turin, Italy
Domenico Albano
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Università degli Studi di Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Federica Elisei
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
Manuela Racca
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO—IRCCS, 10060 Turin, Italy
Francesco Dondi
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Università degli Studi di Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Salvatore Annunziata
Unità di Medicina Nucleare, TracerGLab, Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
Marco Cuzzocrea
Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Imaging Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6501 Bellinzona, Switzerland
Francesco Bertagna
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Università degli Studi di Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Giorgio Treglia
Clinic of Nuclear Medicine, Imaging Institute of Southern Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, 6501 Bellinzona, Switzerland
Background: Recent studies have suggested using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting radiopharmaceuticals for the detection of salivary gland malignancies (SGM), particularly adenoid-cystic carcinoma (ACC). Methods: The authors conducted an extensive review of the scientific literature to examine the potential diagnostic role of PET/CT using PSMA-targeting radiopharmaceuticals in salivary gland malignancies (SGMs) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). This study included newly diagnosed SGM patients and those with disease recurrence in their imaging evaluation. Results: This updated systematic review included a total of six studies that examined the diagnostic performance of PSMA-targeted PET/CT in ACC. The articles provided evidence of a high detection rate of PSMA-targeting PET/CT in ACC across all clinical contexts examined. SGMs other than ACC exhibited poorer diagnostic performance. Conclusions: PSMA-targeted PET/CT seems promising in detecting ACC lesions; moreover, PSMA appears to be a suitable potential target for radioligand therapy. Prospective multicentric studies are warranted to strengthen the role of PSMA-targeting radiopharmaceuticals in ACC, as both diagnostic and theragnostic agents.
