Breast Cancer: Evaluating Tumor Estrogen Receptor Status with Molecular Imaging to Increase Response to Therapy and Improve Patient Outcomes

Current statistics show there are 3.5 million women in the United States living with breast cancer today, and approximately 330,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Of these new cases, 81% are invasive cancers. About 41,000 women die from breast cancer each year. Thankfully, survival rates have increased over the years; however, an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan remain essential for patient survival and longevity. Sometimes breast cancer patients present their medical oncologist with a clinical dilemma on how their particular breast cancer should be treated, especially when standard options fail. Some breast cancer tumors respond to treatment, whereas others do not. Knowing the type of breast tumor a patient has, its estrogen receptor site status, and how it might respond to therapy are vital to effectively and successfully treating the patient, ultimately improving outcomes and overall survival rates. A potential new PET tracer, F-18-fluoroestradiol (currently under Food and Drug Administration review for approval), may be a valuable tool for noninvasive evaluation of the estrogen receptor site status of a patients' primary tumor and secondary metastatic lesions. Imaging estrogen receptor sites is like obtaining a whole-body biopsy that can localize all estrogenpositive lesions in the body, enabling an effective treatment plan to be established for each patient. Estrogen-receptor-site imaging may be beneficial when a tumor is in an inaccessible location or is otherwise difficult to biopsy. Over the years, nuclear medicine has played a crucial role in providing medical oncologists with information helpful for accurately diagnosing and treating patients. With advances in both camera technology and radiopharmaceutical development, the information that nuclear medicine can provide has improved, allowing more accurate treatment and management of patients.