A new diagnostic tracer shows promise for improving detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer, one of Australia’s deadliest malignancies, according to researchers involved in a recent pilot study.

The study, conducted by the Wesley Research Institute and led by Associate Professor David Wong from the IMED Radiology Network, compared a novel PET imaging tracer called Ga-FAPI with the current standard tracer, F-FDG, in 10 patients with suspected or confirmed pancreatic cancer. The findings suggest that Ga-FAPI may provide more sensitive and accurate detection of both primary tumors and metastatic lesions.

Researchers observed that Ga-FAPI identified additional cancerous lesions in three participants that were not detected with the conventional tracer. Clinicians reviewing the scans rated Ga-FAPI as more diagnostically useful in half of the cases, based on improved lesion detection, tumor sizing, and disease staging. The other cases showed similar usefulness between the two tracers.

Professor Wong highlighted the potential clinical impact of these findings, noting that more precise imaging could help doctors better determine which patients might be candidates for potentially lifesaving surgery as opposed to other treatments. “With Ga-FAPI, the surgeons are more confident of saying the disease is limited and therefore you can have surgery,” he said. “If you choose the correct patient, hopefully you can have a better outcome.”

Pancreatic cancer remains a significant challenge in Australia, with approximately 4,000 deaths annually and a five-year survival rate of just 14 percent. Late diagnosis and difficulties in accurately staging the disease contribute heavily to poor outcomes.

The research team plans to conduct larger studies to further evaluate Ga-FAPI’s efficacy and explore its application in other cancer types such as lymphoma, melanoma, colorectal, and breast cancers. Funding is currently being sought for initial trials targeting invasive lobular breast cancer.

By potentially enabling earlier and more precise intervention, Ga-FAPI imaging could represent a critical advancement in the management of pancreatic cancer and possibly other malignancies, offering hope for improved survival rates in future patient populations.