Monday Lunch Live
27 May 20224
Is novel radioligand therapy an effective neoadjuvant treatment?
Join Dr Renu Eapen, urologist and PhD candidate, to discuss her PhD work. She shares her research on an unmet area of need in prostate cancer, to potentially reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival.
Dr Renu Eapen discusses LuTectomy and the translational work based on a clinical trial using novel radioligand therapy. Her PhD work studies the use of a novel radionuclide agent, Lutetium PSMA, in high-risk prostate cancer.
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Her translational research investigates how giving Lutetium PSMA before surgery in prostate cancer can alter the immune microenvironment of the tumour to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve long-term survival. The clinical trial addresses an unmet area of need in prostate cancer, to potentially reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve survival.
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Neoadjuvant treatment has proven effective for many cancers, but to date, none have worked for prostate cancer. High risk prostate cancer remains a lethal disease, with high rates of recurrence and metastases following attempts at curative treatment. Radionuclide therapy with Lutetium PSMA is a form of systemic intravenous radiation that targets prostate cancer cells that express PSMA and spares nearby normal tissues.
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Lutetium PSMA has proven effective in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer, improving PFS and OS compared to chemotherapy. The LuTectomy clinical trial is a phase I/II trial looking at the use of upfront Lutetium PSMA prior to surgery in high risk localised prostate cancer.
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The translational component of the trial interrogates prostate tissues before and after treatment to understand the impact of Lutetium PSMA on the tumour immune microenvironment and the systemic immune response.
Chair
Prof Michael Hofman
Nuclear Medicine Physician, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Prof Hofman leads the Prostate Cancer Theranostics and Imaging Centre of Excellence (ProsTIC) at Peter Mac. His groundbreaking research in PSMA PET and PSMA radioligand therapy has revolutionised prostate cancer imaging and treatment, resulting in FDA approval, Australian MBS funding, and a $2.1 billion investment by Novartis. Prof Hofman's passion for novel radiopharmaceuticals drives him to collaborate globally on Phase I, II, and III clinical trials, addressing unmet needs in oncology. As a key member of the Australasian Radiopharmaceutical Trials Network's scientific committee, he helped create a 10+ centre network across Australia, producing two landmark clinical trials published in The Lancet.
A highly sought-after speaker, Prof Hofman has given over 200 talks in over 25 countries at prominent conferences. His work has attracted more than $55 million in active grants, including a $15 million collaboration to develop next generation therapies for prostate cancer. With over 24 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, he has received numerous accolades, including the 2021 ACTA Clinical Trial of the Year Award and the 2018 SNMMI Image of the Year. Elected a fellow of the International Cancer Imaging Society in 2015, he has also expanded equitable access to PET funding in Australia.
As an educator, Prof Hofman co-authored the national Advanced Training Curriculum and supervises postgraduate researchers across various disciplines. He serves as an associate editor for prestigious journals including Journal of Nuclear Medicine and European Urology, leads Peter MacCallum's PET/CT program, and is a member of the Peter Mac Research Leadership Group.
Dr Renu Eapen
Dr Eapen completed her urology training with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and undertook research in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Texas. She went on to complete subspecialty Fellowship training in urodynamics, incontinence voiding dysfunction and reconstruction at the University of Toronto. She subsequently obtained her robotics and uro-oncology fellowship at the University of California.
Dr Eapen sits on the editorial board of several prestigious journals including the British Journal of Urology International (BJUI) and has been an invited speaker at national and international conferences. She has a particular passion for gender equity and promoting women in the fields of science, medicine and technology. Dr Eapen is a member of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand(USANZ), the American Urological Association (AUA), Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) and Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU).
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