Diagnostic value of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET in comparison to [18F]FDG PET in triple-negative breast cancer and potential for theranostic application
Abstract This single-center subgroup analysis of a prospective trial (NCT04571086) at University Hospital Essen investigated tumor uptake and detection rates of [ 68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-46- versus [ 18 F]FDG PET in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients undergoing initial or follow-up staging. Lesions were recorded across anatomical regions, with detection efficacy, uptake values, tumor-to-liver ratios, and tumor volumes assessed. 22 patients were included (initial- n = 10, follow-up staging n = 12). No significant difference in region-based detection rates was observed between [ 18 F]FDG- (93%, 53/57 regions) and [ 68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET (93%, 53/57 regions) (McNemar p = 1.0). Three patients (25%) at follow-up staging showed an average tumor SUV mean ≥5 on [ 68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET; 2/3 showed SUV max >10 in most lesions. Mean tumor volume was higher for [ 68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-46, though not statistically significant at initial- (50.1 ± 120.8 mL vs. 11.9 ± 18.5 mL) and follow-up staging (102.2 ± 122.3 mL vs. 79.0 ± 90.4 mL). [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-FAPI-46 PET demonstrated comparable detection in TNBC; high tumor uptake in a subset, supporting its theranostic potential.
Authors
- Sofia C. Vaz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4229-9349)
- Ken Herrmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9662-7259)
- Anja Welt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0948-4385)
- David Kersting (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8451-1830)
- Lale Umutlu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5215-7171)
- Kim M. Pabst (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9234-0795)
- Ilektra Antonia Mavroeidi
- Wolfgang P. Fendler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5106-3584)
- Alexandros Moraitis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8553-4352)
- Rainer Hamacher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9655-1226)
- Loïc Djaileb (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2784-6367)
- Martin Schuler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7252-0927)
- Tristan Demmert
- Alina Toni Küper
- Sherko Kümmel
- Robert Seifert
- Ieva Ciuciulkaite
Institutions
- Champalimaud Foundation (PT)
- University of Bern (CH)
- Inserm (FR)
- Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble (FR)
- University Hospital of Bern (CH)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (DE)
- Essen University Hospital (DE)
- Kliniken Essen-Mitte (DE)
- West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen (DE)
- University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
- Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2026-08-03
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61253-8
- Primary Topic
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Prostate Cancer Foundation
- Universitätsklinikum Essen
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft