Case Report
Evidence of PSMA Uptake in Brain Metastases in a Patient with Breast Cancer Her2/Neu Positive
Medina-Ornelas SS1*, García-Pérez FO1, Paredes-Amoroto E2 and Medel-Gamez C3
1Departament of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Ciudad de México, México
2Departament of Nuclear Medicine, HNERM, Perú
3Departament of Nuclear Medicine, Ciudad de México, México
*Corresponding author: Medina-Ornelas SS, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Ciudad de México, México
Published: 20 Oct, 2016
Cite this article as: Medina-Ornelas SS, García-Pérez FO,
Paredes-Amoroto E, Medel-Gamez
C. Evidence of PSMA Uptake in Brain
Metastases in a Patient with Breast
Cancer Her2/Neu Positive. Clin Oncol.
2016; 1: 1122.
Abstract
Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of brain metastases resulting in a poor survival.
The blood-brain barrier is an obstacle to the delivery of chemotherapeutics to the brain; treatment
includes whole brain irradiation, stereotactic radio surgery or neurosurgery with whole brain
radiation.
The angiogenesis may be associated with metastasis independent of either invasion of normal tissue
or intra vacation into normal blood or lymph node.
Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) expression is seen in the neovasculature of many
types of tumors, such as prostate, renal, lung and recently breast cancer.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging with 68Ga-PSMA is very useful in the diagnosis
of recurrent prostate cancer, mainly retrospective studies describe the value of 68Ga-PSMA ligand
PET/CT in recurrent prostate cancer and most recently as the ragnostic agent, if required provide
therapy with 177Lu-PSMA.
These case report suggest that PSMA expression in tumor associated neovasculature may be related
to the degree and nature of neoangiogenesis. In addition the present case is the first evidence in
which tumor viability is demonstrated in brain metastasis in patients live corroborated by PET-CT
with 68Ga-PSMA.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Neoangiogenesis; Neovasculature; Intra vassation
Introduction
The breast cancer in Mexico is the first place in incidence with 20,444 and mortality of 5,680 per
year [1].The HER2/neu (c-erbB2), located on chromosome 17q, which encodes a transmembrane
protein of 185 kDa (p185), is part of the family of tyrosine kinase receptors including the epidermal
growth factor receptor c-erbB11, this proto-oncogene present in 10%-30% of invasive breast
carcinomas and serves as a biological target for trastuzumab therapy. Nevertheless, 15-30 % of
patients with metastatic breast cancer HER2/neu positive will develop brain metastases. Treatment
includes whole brain irradiation, stereotactic radio surgery or neurosurgery with whole brain
radiation, resulting in a poor survival. The blood-brain barrier is an obstacle to the delivery of
chemotherapeutics to the brain [2-4].
A potentially effective therapeutic strategy may derive from the finding that the transmembrane
Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) expression is seen in the neovasculature of many
types of tumors, such as prostate, renal, lung and recently breast cancer [5,6].
PSMA is heavily expressed by the tumor vascular endothelium in a variety of solid cancers,
including prostate cancer, glioblastoma and primary adenocarcinoma of the breast, but is not
evident in normal vascular endothelium and to only very low levels in normal prostate. Molecular
imaging has become an indispensable tool in cancer research, clinical trials and medical practice.
Imaging is attractive because most imaging techniques are either non- or minimally invasive, nondestructive,
provide dynamic, real-time data and permit repeated measurements. Positron Emission
Tomography (PET) imaging with 68Ga-PSMA is very useful in the diagnosis of recurrent prostate
cancer, mainly retrospective studies describe the value of 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT in different
clinical scenarios in prostate cancer; however, there is insufficient evidence of the usefulness in
breast cancer [7-8].
These case report suggest that PSMA expression in tumor
associated neovasculature may be related to the degree and nature of
neoangiogenesis. In addition the present case is the first evidence in
which tumor viability is demonstrated in brain metastasis in patients
live corroborated by PET-CT with 68Ga-PSMA.
Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Mastectomy specimen. Showed a high grade ductal
carcinoma with necrosis of 10%, and infiltration papillary dermis and nipple,
lymphovascular and perineural permeation (Hematoxylin and Eosin stain,
original magnification x200. (b) Nuclear staining of ER was negative. (c)
Nuclear staining of PR was negative. (d) Membrane staining of HER-2/neu
was positive. Ki-67 positive in 90%.
Case Presentation
A forty-five-year-old woman, having nodule in the right
breast with 2 years of evolution. Biopsy was performed fine needle
aspiration whose histopathologic report was fibro adenoma; the
injury progresses after a year with increased size. Ultrasound and
mammography was performed, where a radiopaque mass of high
density is evident in Upper Outer Quadrant (UOQ) right breast,
with the presence of pleomorphic calcifications grouped. Right
axillary adenopathy suspicious looking Birads 5. Trucut biopsy was
performed reporting infiltrating ductal carcinoma SBR9 (Figure 1a
and b). She was undergoing to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, receiving
12 cycles of paclitaxel / trastuzumab (with previous ventriculography
normal, up 60%), and then four cycles of colony stimulating factor
plus trastuzumab scheme; and continues with trastuzumab each three
cycles per week. Once completed chemotherapy she was underwent
modified radical mastectomy more right pectoralis major impeller.
Pathology report infiltrating ductal carcinoma with 75% of necrosis.
The patient fails to radiation oncology, and loses track for 6 months
for unknown reasons. She was return after 4 months with history of
progressive headache, dizziness and respiratory symptoms treated out
our institute high at the time of valuation refers moderate headache
and dizziness that limit progress. For this reason, brain MRI was
performed, evidence lesion supratentorial and intra-axial (Figure 2),
concluded as known primary reservoir and central nervous system
progression is established.
Holocraneal patient initiates radiotherapy 30Gy in 10 fractions
plustemozolomide, and restart trastuzumab plus capecitabine. It
documented disease progression despite treatment.
It was decided to perform PET-CT 68Ga-PSMA with reflected
normal distribution without abnormal uptake in body, but increased
uptake of radiotracer in brain, corresponding to brain metastases
(Figure 3 and 4).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Brain MRI with contrast. Showed in the occipital region of the left
side and ipsilateral wedge a ring enhancement after the intravenous contrast
observing vasogenic edema which clears the parietal-occipital sulcus
ipsilateral with maximum axis of 45 millimeters.
Figure 3
Figure 3
MIP of 68Ga-PSMA PET. Note the normal biodistribution of 68Ga-
PSMA 1 h after injection. Accumulation is seen in salivary glands, nasal
mucosa, liver, spleen, bowel, kidneys and bladder, and no focal abnormal
uptake.
Discussion
The PSMA is a type II membrane glycoprotein consisting of
750 amino acids (100-120 kDa), with a 19 amino acid intracellular
component, a 24 amino acid intramembrane segment, and a large
707 amino acid extracellular component. PSMA gene is located
on chromosome 11, and exhibits folate hydrolase/glutamate
carboxypeptidase II enzymatic activity [9,10].
Instead, PSMA regulates tumor cell invasion and tumor
angiogenesis by modulating integrin signal transduction in
endothelial cells. The transcription of PSMA can be selectively
activated through a transcriptional enhancer region in endothelial
cells of the tumor neovasculature, but this region is absent in normal
blood vessels [11-13].
PSMA PET/CT imaging seems to be a valuable imaging modality
for evaluation of primary prostate cancer and it seems to have potential
for the detection of lymph node and bone metastases, meanwhile
this demonstrated that other tumors have overexpression of this
glycoprotein in vitro, and the PET technique can be demonstrated
in vivo [7-9].
Chang et al. [14] were perhaps the first to demonstrate by
immunohistochemistry the presence of PSMA in 5 of 6 cases of breast
cancer, characterized by the monoclonal antibody 7E11 and those of
four recently developed anti-PSMA mAbs (J591, J415, and Hybritech
PEQ226.5 and PM2J004.5), each of which binds a distinct epitope of
PSMA; this study confirm PSMA expression in the neovasculature of
a wide spectrum of malignant neoplasms.; rather than a PSMA-like
molecule, is expressed in tumor-associated neovasculature.
More over Liuet al. [15] studied four external domain-binding
anti-PSMA mAbs (J591, J415, J533, and E99) and showed that each
bound the tumor-associated neovasculature in several variety of
carcinomas (including lung, colon, breast, and others).
Wernicke et al. [16] they have the largest study in patients with
breast cancer. Ninety-two patients had primary breast cancer (invasive
breast carcinoma with or without co-existing ductal carcinoma in situ
(DCIS) or DCIS alone). In addition, 14 patients with breast cancer
metastases to the brain. Tumor-associated vasculature was PSMApositive
in 68/92 (74%) of primary breast cancers and in 14/14
(100%) of breast cancers metastatic to brain. PSMA was not detected
in normal breast tissue or carcinoma cells.
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is one of several
agents promoting angiogenesis. Some members of the VEGF family
promote lymphogenesis as well. These newly formed blood and lymph
vessels may be more susceptible to tumor cell invasion than normal
vessels. A recent experimental model suggests that angiogenesis
may be associated with metastasis independent of either invasion of
normal tissue or intravasation into normal blood or lymph node.
These and other observations are remarkable given presence of
PSMA expression in tumor-associated neovasculature of other cancer
types [17].
Once tumor cells have infiltrated the brain, they require an
adequate blood supply to grow and develop a metastatic lesion. The
mechanisms that are involved in blood vessel recruitment by brain
metastases cells appear to be strongly dependent on tumor origin as
well as the metastatic microenvironment [18].
The importance of angiogenesis in breast cancer is well
documented, and endothelial cell expression of PSMA appears highly
restricted to tumor-associated neovasculature and may represent a
novel target therapy with 177Lu-PSMA.
Further analyses are required to confirm our findings and to
further evaluate the characteristics of different types of metastases
in different hormonal status, where it is demonstrated by PET-CT
68Ga-PSMA tool, with the aim of administer therapeutic doses with
177Lu-PSMA.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(upper left) MIP of skull showed abnormal uptake in brain. (rest of
pictures) encephalomalacia area front temporo-occipito parietal left and area
poorly defined irregular administration of contrast enhancement in parietaloccipital
region ipsilateral surrounded by edema in the white matter of the
ipsilateral hemisphere diversion line middle right associated with increased
concentration of radiopharmaceutical.
Conclusion
Understanding the molecular changes that breast tumor cells is crucial in obtaining novel targeting brain metastases therapeutics.68Ga- PSMA PET/CT is a recent modality of molecular imaging especially for the diagnosis of recurrence in treated prostate cancer patients, meanwhile the heterogeneity of breast cancer requires a thorough analysis to identify those potential patients to receive therapy with the 177Lu-PSMA may represent a promising approach. This case report further highlights to improve the value of PET-CT in this scenario.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Enrique Estrada, for their support and interest in conducting this work, and Dr. Alexander España, pathologist for their support of images.
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