Overview
Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen–Positron Emission Tomography (PSMA-PET) imaging has rapidly changed how prostate cancer is diagnosed and managed, allowing clinicians to detect prostate cancer earlier and more accurately than with conventional imaging methods. However, while racial and ethnic disparities in prostate cancer care are well known, little was previously understood about whether all patients have equal access to this new imaging modality.
This study used the Flatiron Health Research Database to examine how often PSMA-PET scans were used among non-Latinx/Hispanic White (NHW), Black (NHB), and Latinx patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) between 2020 and 2024. Among 550 patients, PSMA-PET use increased over time, but important differences emerged: NHB and Latinx patients were less likely to receive a PSMA-PET scan compared to NHW patients, even after accounting for age and year of diagnosis. The study noted that most PSMA-PET scans were performed after the diagnosis of metastatic disease, and the majority of scans occurred while the cancer was still hormone-sensitive.
Why this matters
This research highlights that, despite the promise of PSMA-PET imaging to improve prostate cancer care, not all patients are benefiting. The lower rates of PSMA-PET use among Black and Latinx patients mirror broader patterns of inequity in access to novel medical technologies. Ensuring that all patients have equal access to advanced diagnostic tools is critical for reducing disparities in cancer outcomes. These findings underscore the need for targeted efforts to promote equitable adoption of innovations in oncology and for further research to understand and address the root causes of these differences.