Reston, VA (April 23, 2026)— New research has been published ahead-of-print by The Journal of Nuclear Medicine ( JNM ). JNM is published by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics—precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Summaries of the newly published research articles are provided below.
Tracking PSMA Behavior to Improve Prostate Cancer Therapies
Researchers used PET imaging with 18 F-DCFPyL to study how a PSMA-targeting antibody alters tumor biology. Experiments in cells and animal models showed dose-dependent, temperature-sensitive reductions in accessible PSMA, changing tracer uptake and distribution patterns. Time, dose, and tumor burden influenced how PSMA levels shifted across lesions over short observation periods.
Illuminating Drug Delivery Inside Tumors, Cell by Cell
A new imaging workflow combines near-infrared–labeled antibodies with multiplex staining and computational alignment to map where therapies go in tumor tissue. Using panitumumab–IRDye800CW, researchers visualized uneven drug accumulation in targeted regions and measured how deeply the antibody penetrates within complex tumor structures at single-cell resolution.
Targeted Radiation Shows Promise Against Pancreatic Cancer
Scientists tested a CD44v6-targeting radiotherapy, 177 Lu-AKIR001, in pancreatic cancer models. Many tumors expressed the target, enabling high drug uptake. Treatment slowed tumor growth in a dose-dependent way, with some complete remissions. Combining the therapy with chemotherapy also showed measurable responses in preclinical experiments.
Imaging Scan May Better Predict Survival in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Researchers evaluated 18 F-flotufolastat PET scans in patients undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer. Comparing imaging and blood-test responses, they found scan-based RECIP assessments more strongly tracked survival outcomes. Patients with disease progression on imaging had markedly shorter survival than those without progression, highlighting differences in prognostic performance between methods.
Insights into Kidney Effects of Targeted Prostate Cancer Therapy
Over a decade, clinicians identified five cases of thrombotic microangiopathy in patients treated with 177 Lu-PSMA therapies. The condition emerged months after treatment, causing worsening kidney function. Biopsies and dosing data suggested a possible link between radiation exposure, PSMA expression in kidney tissue, and cumulative treatment effects.
Early Trial Maps Dosing and Safety of Targeted Alpha Therapy
A phase 1 study tested 225 Ac-PSMA I&T in nine men with advanced prostate cancer, using escalating doses and detailed monitoring. Researchers tracked side effects, imaging-based tumor response, and radiation distribution in the body, identifying tolerability patterns, common symptoms like dry mouth, and how the therapy behaves across organs and tumors.
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About JNM and the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) is the world’s leading nuclear medicine, molecular imaging and theranostics journal, accessed 15 million times each year by practitioners around the globe, providing them with the information they need to advance this rapidly expanding field. Current and past issues of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine can be found online at http://jnm.snmjournals.org.
JNM is published by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics—precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. For more information, visit www.snmmi.org.
Journal of Nuclear Medicine