Comparison of PSMA- and CD70-targeted PET/CT in The Diagnosis of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort and Prospective Head-to-head Study
In brief
CD70-targeted PET/CT reached 89% sensitivity for clear-cell kidney cancer
In a retrospective cohort and a 36-patient prospective comparison, CD70-targeted PET/CT detected clear-cell renal cell carcinoma lesions with 88.7% sensitivity, versus 76.1% with PSMA-targeted imaging, with particular gains for lung and liver metastases. It showed more disease in 9 of 26 patients and changed treatment decisions in 4, but detection remained limited for non-clear-cell tumors and the prospective study was small.
- Journal
- Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (Q1)
- Published
- 6 November 2026
- Study design
- Prospective / inception cohort
- Evidence level
- Level 2, Moderate (CEBM 2b)
- Authors
- Herui Li, Qiufang Liu, Xuebing Yu, Zhiyong Quan, Yutong Ye, Ming Zhang, et al.
- PMID
- 42993177
- DOI
- 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-26-2321
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, Medical Physics and Imaging (paper of the day, 7 November 2026): Head-to-head PET imaging study reports treatment decision impact
Abstract
PURPOSE: Currently, PSMA- and CD70-targeted imaging are the main focuses in the molecular imaging of RCC, but these modalities have not been compared in clinical studies. The primary outcome of this study was to compare the sensitivity of two imaging modalities in diagnosing RCC lesions and explore their diagnostic thresholds. Secondary outcomes included differences in detection rates, variations in tumor uptake, target-to-background ratios, and their practical impact on patient treatment decisions. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Retrospectively, data were collected from patients with pathologically confirmed RCC who underwent PSMA-targeted ([68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11) or CD70-targeted ([68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RCCB6) PET/CT. Tumor uptake, target-to-background ratio, and lesion detection rates were compared. Another independent prospective study enrolled patients with suspected RCC who underwent both imaging modalities, comparing the sensitivity of the two methods in detecting RCC lesions and investigating diagnostic thresholds. RESULTS: The retrospective cohort included 128 patients, while the prospective study finally enrolled 36 patients. [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RCCB6 exhibited higher sensitivity (88.7% vs. 76.1%; P < 0.001) for ccRCC, particularly for pulmonary and hepatic metastases, and exhibited higher SUVmax and TBR at the primary lesion and in pulmonary metastases. The detection rates of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RCCB6 and [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 were both limited for nccRCC (68.8% and 63.0%, respectively). [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RCCB6 improved the extent of lesion detection in 35% (9/26) of patients and affected treatment decisions in 15% (4/26) of patients. CONCLUSIONS: [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RCCB6 PET/CT significantly enhanced diagnostic sensitivity for pulmonary and hepatic metastases, facilitating precise staging and treatment decision-making. Therefore, it represents a valuable complement to existing imaging modalities for ccRCC.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.