In October 2024, a team of doctors from the National Cancer Institute in Gliwice made a breakthrough discovery in the field of oncology diagnostics. They have developed an innovative method for non-invasive imaging of the HER2 receptor, using advanced PET radio-marker technology combined with specially designed affibody molecules.
HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2) is a protein found on the surface of cells that is produced in excessive amounts in some breast cancers [1]. Its elevated levels are often associated with a more aggressive course of the disease and can significantly affect the effectiveness of treatment. Traditional methods of detecting HER2 rely on invasive biopsies, which have their limitations – most notably, they only show the status of the receptor at the sampling site, which can give an incomplete picture.
At the heart of the innovation is a combination of two key technological elements. The first is the affibody molecule, a specially designed small protein that binds to the HER2 receptor with high precision. The second element is the Ga-68 isotope, a radioactive tracer that allows the distribution of affibody molecules in the body to be tracked.
The first patient to receive the new method was a 41-year-old woman with disseminated breast cancer. The results of the study proved remarkably promising – the technology was able to detect cancerous lesions that remained invisible on standard PET imaging with the 18F-FDG tracer [1]. What’s more, the entire diagnostic process took just one hour, in contrast to traditional methods that require 1-3 weeks to wait for results.
The new method has a number of benefits for patients and physicians. It is completely non-invasive, eliminating the need for painful biopsies [1]. It allows comprehensive imaging of the HER2 receptor throughout the body, and results are available as soon as one hour after the tracer is injected. In addition, the test can be repeated multiple times during treatment, and the radio tracer does not interfere with HER2-targeted drugs.
Professor Gabriela Kramer-Marek, who leads the research team, emphasizes that the new method opens the way to truly personalized oncology medicine [1]. Doctors gain the ability to monitor changes in receptor expression in real time and adjust therapy based on the current receptor status. This avoids the use of ineffective drugs, sparing patients from unnecessary side effects, and allows faster response to changes in the course of the disease.
The success of the Gliwice scientists was possible thanks to cooperation with Affibody AB, which provided the key element of the technology – the affibody molecule. This international cooperation shows how important it is to join forces in the development of modern diagnostic methods.
Although the research is still in the pilot phase, the results open up new possibilities in oncology. There is potential to apply the method to the diagnosis of other types of cancer and to develop similar technologies using different tumor markers. The method may also enable earlier detection of metastatic lesions and more accurate prediction of the effectiveness of targeted therapies.
This breakthrough discovery by Polish scientists could significantly change the approach to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment worldwide. It also shows that Polish medicine not only keeps up with global trends, but actively contributes to the development of modern diagnostic and therapeutic methods. The future of oncological diagnostics looks brighter, and patients can count on increasingly effective and less invasive treatment methods.
Bibliography:[1] Gliwice/ A team of doctors has developed innovative receptor diagnostics for disseminated breast cancer https://swiatlekarza.pl/gliwice-zespol-lekarzy-opracowal-innowacyjna-diagnostyke-receptorowa-rozsianego-raka-piersi/
