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2020 Gary and Allison Lieberman-PCF VAlor Young Investigator Award

Tyler Seibert, MD, PhD

University of California San Diego

Mentors: Anders Dale, PhD; Michael Hahn, MD, PhD; Loren Mell, MD

Phase II Biomarker Study of Advanced Diffusion MRI in High-Risk, Localized Prostate Cancer Treated with Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation Therapy

Description:

  • Patients with high-risk prostate cancer benefit from androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy, with each conferring a survival benefit. However, while this treatment combination may cure some patients, others are not cured, and would benefit from additional treatment. New tests are needed to predict early-on, which patients will eventually recur and to guide treatment decisions after initial therapy.
  • Dr. Tyler Seibert is developing a new MRI scan technique, “Restriction Spectrum Imaging” (RSI), that can be used as an early biomarker for treatment effectiveness in prostate cancer treated with ADT and radiotherapy.
  • In this project, Dr. Seibert will conduct a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate RSI imaging as a biomarker to identify patients who will experience biochemical recurrence within 3 years post-radiotherapy, and patients who will fail to have PSA levels drop below <0.5 ng/mL within 18 months post-radiotherapy. Participants will undergo three RSI MRI scans: prior to ADT, prior to radiotherapy, and after radiotherapy.
  • The performance of the RSI imaging technique will be compared with other standard and experimental MRI scan techniques.
  • If successful, this project will result in a new biomarker for treatment response that could guide earlier treatment decisions and ultimately improve cure rates for men with high-risk prostate cancer.

What this means to patients: Dr. Seibert is developing a new MRI scan technique that will help to identify patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer who will vs. will not be cured by ADT + radiation therapy.  This will enable clinicians to identify which patients should have additional therapy before waiting for recurrence to become apparent, and will lead to improved outcomes for patients with high-risk prostate cancer.