Dosimetry of lutetium-177-PSMA-I&T radioligand therapy in recurrent/metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma.
Authors: van Ruitenbeek Niels J. , Peters Steffie M.B. , Uijen Maike J.M. , Driessen Chantal M.L. , Gotthardt Martin , Konijnenberg Mark W. , van Herpen Carla M.L.- , Nagarajah James 
Published: June 2024

6093

Background: There is a high unmet need for effective systemic therapies for recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC), as no standard-of-care exists. AdCC frequently expresses prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), providing rationale for PSMA-targeted therapies, which have demonstrated significant efficacy in prostate cancer. In our phase 2 pilot trial (EudraCT 2019-003857-27), we assessed the safety, efficacy and feasibility of lutetium-177 (177Lu)-PSMA-I&T in R/M AdCC patients. Despite well-tolerated, the efficacy was limited. To gain further insight into causes of the limited efficacy, we measured absorbed 177Lu-PSMA-I&T radiation doses in tumors and organs at risk. Methods: Dosimetry was feasible and was performed in all 10 enrolled AdCC patients. They received 177Lu-PSMA-I&T with a median activity of 7.40 (range 6.78-7.49) GBq and a median of 4 (range 1-4) cycles. For bone marrow dosimetry, blood samples were collected during cycle 1. Single-photon emission CT/CT (SPECT/CT) was performed at 1, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours after 177Lu-PSMA-I&T injection at cycle 1. Tumors >1 cm were categorized based on gallium-68 (68Ga)-PSMA PET mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean): above, at (±10%), and below liver SUVmean. Per site, up to 3 index lesions per category were selected. Volumes of interest with ~1 cm margin were drawn on SPECT/CT. Background correction was applied. Salivary gland and bone lesion volume were determined by iterative thresholding on 68Ga-PSMA PET. Other tumor volumes were determined on CT. Hermes dosimetry software and Olinda 2.2 software were used to estimate doses according to the Medical Internal Radiation Dose scheme. Results were reported as the absorbed dose at cycle 1 (Gy). Results: In total, 66 tumor lesions were analyzed. Tumor sites included lung (n=35), pleura (n=16), liver (n=5), bone (n=4), lymph node (n=3), local recurrence (n=2) and thoracic wall (n=1). The median 68Ga-PSMA PET tumor/liver SUVmean ratio was 0.94 (range 0.33-2.62). The median tumor-absorbed dose was 0.47 (range, 0.01-4.66) Gy. Highest median doses by tumor site were 1.84 (range, 0.76-2.92) Gy in local recurrences and 1.35 (range, 0.33-2.62) Gy in bone lesions. Lowest median doses by tumor site were 0.18 (range, 0.14-0.27) Gy in lymph node lesions and 0.21 (range, 0.12-0.79) Gy in liver lesions. In organs at risk, the absorbed dose was highest in the kidneys, followed by the salivary glands, with mean values of 6.29 (standard deviation [SD], 2.32) Gy and 5.07 (SD, 2.47) Gy, respectively. The mean bone marrow absorbed dose was 0.53 (SD, 0.14) Gy. Conclusions: Tumor-absorbed radiation doses in our AdCC patient cohort receiving 177Lu-PSMA-I&T were significantly lower than in prostate cancer (~10-40 Gy per cycle), likely due to lower and heterogeneous PSMA expression. This could explain the limited efficacy. Organ-absorbed doses aligned with studies in prostate cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT04291300 .