Applications of Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor-PET in Interventional Oncology

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Imaging
• Radiochemistry

Background:

• Molecular imaging enhances surgical precision and reduces patient morbidity.
• Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) ligands show high sensitivity and tumor delineation capabilities in epithelial malignancies.
• A diverse range of FAP ligands, including diagnostic and therapeutic options, exist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of FAP ligands in interventional oncology.
• To discuss the advantages of FAP ligands over conventional radionuclides.
• To introduce novel fluorescence-based FAP probes for intraoperative use.

Main Methods:

• Review of current FAP ligand applications in molecular imaging.
• Comparison of FAP ligands with conventional imaging agents.
• Exploration of newly developed hybrid tracers and fluorescence-based probes.

Main Results:

• FAP ligands provide superior preoperative assessment and tumor delineation.
• The availability of various FAP emitters offers flexibility for clinical needs.
• Fluorescence-based FAP probes enable intraoperative targeting without radiation.

Conclusions:

• FAP ligands are promising for improving preoperative assessment and surgical precision.
• The expanding FAP ligand spectrum, including non-radioactive probes, enhances interventional oncology.
• FAP-targeted molecular imaging holds great potential for optimizing local-interventional surgery.