Experimental PET Imaging Scans Before Cancer Surgery to Study the Amount of PET Tracer Accumulated in Normal and Cancer Tissues

August 20, 2026 updated by: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

PET Biodistribution Study of 68Ga-PSMA-11 and 68Ga-FAPI-46 in Patients With Non-Prostate Cancers: An Exploratory Biodistribution Study With Histopathology Validation

This phase I trial studies a new imaging technique called FAPi PET/CT to determine where and to which degree the FAPI tracer (68Ga-FAPi-46) accumulate in normal and cancer tissues in patients with non-prostate cancer. The research team also want to know whether what they see on PET/CT images represents the tumor tissue being excised from the patient's body. The research team is also interested to investigate another new imaging technique called PSMA PET/CT. Participants will be invited to undergo another PET/CT scan, with the PSMA tracer (68Ga-PSMA-11). This is not required but just an option for volunteer patients. Patients who have not received an 18F-FDG PET/CT within one month of enrollment will also undergo an FDG PET/CT scan. The PET/CT scanner combines the PET and the CT scanners into a single device. This device combines the anatomic (body structure) information provided by the CT scan with the metabolic information obtained from the PET scan. PET is an established imaging technique that utilizes small amounts of radioactivity attached to very minimal amounts of, in the case of this research, 68Ga-PSMA-11 and 68Ga-FAPi, and 18F-FDG (if applicable). Because some cancers take up 68Ga-PSMA-11 and/or 68Ga-FAPi it can be seen with PET. CT utilizes x-rays that traverse the body from the outside. CT images provide an exact outline of organs where it occurs in patient's body. FAP stands for Fibroblast Activation Protein. FAP is produced by cells that surround tumors. The function of FAP is not well understood but imaging studies have shown that FAP can be detected with FAPI PET/CT. Imaging FAP with FAPI PET/CT may in the future provide additional information about various cancers. PSMA stands for Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen. This name is incorrect as PSMA is also found in many other cancers. The function of PSMA is not well understood but imaging studies have shown that PSMA can be detected with PET in many non-prostate cancers. Imaging FAP with PET/CT may in the future provide additional information about various cancers.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To define the biodistribution of gallium Ga 68 FAPi-46 (68Ga-FAPi-46) and gallium Ga 68-labeled PSMA-11 (68Ga-PSMA-11) in normal and cancer tissues of patients with various non-prostate malignancies. The goal is to determine where and to which degree 68Ga-FAPi-46 and 68Ga-PSMA-11 accumulates in normal and cancer tissues.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate whether 68Ga-FAPi-46 and 68Ga-PSMA-11 accumulation observed by positron emission tomography (PET) correlates with the amount of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in excised cancer tissue, respectively.

II. To evaluate the 68Ga-FAPI-46 biodistribution correlation with 18F-FDG biodistribution (when available) to define the frequency of the following phenotypes (FAP+/ FDG+, FAP-/ FDG+, FAP+/ FDG-, FAP-/ FDG-).

EXPERIMENTAL OBJECTIVE:

III. Assess the 68Ga-FAPI-46 biodistribution correlation with 68Ga-PSMA-11, if the patient volunteers for optional scan, and 18F-fluodeoxyglucose (FDG), if any FDG PET/computed tomography (CT) has been performed as standard-of-care.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive 68Ga-FAPi-46 intravenously (IV) and undergo PET/CT scan over 20-50 minutes. On another day, patients receive 18F-FDG and then undergo PET/computed tomography (CT) according to standard of care procedures (if applicable). Patients may also receive 68Ga-PSMA-11 IV and undergo PET/CT scan over 20-50 minutes on a separate day (for volunteer patients only, PSMA PET/CT is optional and not required).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

29

Phase

  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
        • Ethan Lam

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with the following cancer types:

    • Breast cancer
    • Colon cancer
    • Esophageal cancer
    • Gastric cancer
    • Head and Neck cancer
    • Lung cancer
    • Ovarian cancer
    • Pancreatic cancer
    • Renal cancer
    • Uterus cancer
  • Patients who are scheduled to undergo surgical resection of the primary tumor and/or metastasis
  • Patient can provide written informed consent
  • Patient is capable of complying with study procedures
  • Patient is able to remain still for duration of imaging procedure (up to one hour)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient is pregnant or nursing
  • Patients with any new cancer therapy between the baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT and the investigational FAPI PET/CT
  • Patient has underlying disease which, based on the judgment of the investigator, might interfere with the collection of high quality data

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Basic Science (68Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT, 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT)
Patients receive 68Ga-FAPi-46 intravenously (IV), and then undergo PET/computed tomography (CT) over 20-90 minutes. On another day, patients receive 18F-FDG and then undergo PET/computed tomography (CT) according to standard of care procedures (if applicable). Patients may also receive 68Ga-PSMA-11 IV and undergo PET/CT scan over 20-50 minutes on a separate day (for volunteer patients only, PSMA PET/CT is optional and not required).
Procedure: Computed Tomography
Undergo PET/CT scan
Other Names:
  • CT
  • CAT
  • CAT Scan
  • Computerized Axial Tomography
  • tomography
  • computerized tomography
  • CT scan
Procedure: Positron Emission Tomography
Undergo PET/CT scan
Other Names:
  • Medical Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography
  • PET
  • PET Scan
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
  • positron emission tomography scan
Radiation: Gallium Ga 68 FAPi-46
Given IV
Other Names:
  • 68Ga-FAPi-46
  • Gallium-68-FAPi-46
Radiation: Gallium Ga 68-labeled PSMA-11
Given IV
Other Names:
  • (68)Ga labeled Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • (68)Ga-labeled Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • (68)Ga-PSMA Ligand Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • (68)Gallium-PSMA Ligand Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • (68Ga)Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • 68Ga-DKFZ-PSMA-11
  • 68Ga-HBED-CC-PSMA
  • 68Ga-labeled Glu-NH-CO-NH-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • 68Ga-PSMA
  • 68Ga-PSMA-11
  • 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC
  • [68Ga] Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen 11
  • [68Ga]GaPSMA-11
  • Ga PSMA
  • Ga-68 labeled DKFZ-PSMA-11
  • Ga-68 labeled PSMA-11
  • Gallium Ga 68 PSMA-11
  • Gallium-68 PSMA
  • Gallium-68 PSMA Ligand Glu-urea-Lys(Ahx)-HBED-CC
  • GaPSMA
  • PSMA-HBED-CC GA-68
Radiation: 18F-FDG
Given IV
Other Names:
  • 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
To define and document the biodistribution of gallium Ga 68 FAPi-46 (68Ga-FAPi-46) and gallium Ga 68-labeled PSMA-11 (68Ga-PSMA-11) in normal and cancer tissues of patients with various non-prostate malignancies
Time Frame: 60 minutes after tracer injection
To quantify tumor tissue and normal background organs positron emission tomography (PET) tracer uptake by semi-quantitative analysis (unit/metrics = standardized uptake values (SUV)). The 68Ga-PSMA-11 and 68Ga-FAPI-46 tracer biodistribution will be described by mean and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmean and SUVmax).
60 minutes after tracer injection

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
68Ga-FAPi-46 and 68Ga-PSMA-11 accumulation
Time Frame: From date of imaging to date of surgery (range 1-60 days)
To evaluate whether 68Ga-FAPi-46 accumulation observed by PET correlates with the amount of FAP in excised cancer tissue as assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC).
From date of imaging to date of surgery (range 1-60 days)
evaluate the 68Ga-FAPI-46 biodistribution correlation with 18F-FDG biodistribution
Time Frame: up to 2 years
2. To evaluate the 68Ga-FAPI-46 biodistribution correlation with 18F-FDG biodistribution (when available) to define the frequency of the following phenotypes (FAP+/ FDG+, FAP-/ FDG+, FAP+/ FDG-, FAP-/ FDG-).
up to 2 years

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Additional correlation of biodistribution of standard of care tracer
Time Frame: 60 minutes after tracer injection
assess the 68Ga-FAPI-46 biodistribution correlation with 68Ga-PSMA-11, if the patient volunteers for optional scan
60 minutes after tracer injection

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Collaborators

Society of Nuclear Medecine and Molecular Imaging

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jeremie Calais, MD, UCLA / Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

November 5, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2030

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 17, 2031

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 24, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 29, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

November 1, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 20, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 19-000756
  • NCI-2019-07265 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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