ASCO 2025: Racial and Ethnic Disparities Identified in PSMA PET Utilization for mPCa Patients

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, new findings revealed significant racial and ethnic disparities in the use of PSMA PET imaging among patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa).

According to the study, Latinx and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients were significantly less likely to receive PSMA PET scans compared to their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts. Researchers presented data showing that, despite having similar diagnoses, access to this advanced imaging tool varied notably by race and ethnicity.

The retrospective analysis drew on electronic health record (EHR) data from 550 patients diagnosed with mPCa between December 2020 and May 2024. The cohort included 250 NHW patients, 250 NHB patients, and 50 Latinx patients. Utilization rates of PSMA PET scanning—considered a critical tool for staging and monitoring prostate cancer—were disproportionately lower among Latinx and NHB individuals.

These findings raise urgent questions about equity in cancer diagnostics and highlight the need for systemic interventions to ensure that all patients have access to cutting-edge diagnostic technologies, regardless of racial or ethnic background.

The researchers found that NHB patients and Latinx patients were 44 percent less likely and 63 percent less likely, respectively, than NHW patients to have PSMA PET scans.

“NHB and Latinx (patients) were less likely to receive PSMA-PET imaging than NHW (patients). Our results are consistent with prior research documenting racial/ethnic inequities in the adoption of medical innovations and highlight the need for interventions to promote equitable uptake of diagnostic tools in oncology,” noted lead study author Eunice Hankinson, a clinical director at Flatiron Health, and colleagues.

The study authors said 61 percent of NHW patients had PSMA PET scans in comparison to 50 percent of NHB patients and 38 percent of Latinx patients. The researchers also determined that 88.9 percent of initial PET PSMA scans were done after patients had been diagnosed with mPCa.

“Future research should explore potential drivers of racial/ethnic differences in PSMA-PET uptake and their potential impact on (patient) outcomes,” added Hankinson and colleagues.