The Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine’s Clinical Unit at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), Dr Bawinile Hadebe, received the Best International Abstract Award at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) Conference in Toronto.
Under the mentorship of her Head of Department, Professor Mariza Vorster, who introduced the innovative Ac-225 prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) cancer therapy for the management of prostate cancer and won the Maurits W. Geerlings 2023 Next Generation Award for Outstanding Research and Contributions to Actinium-225 Radiopharmaceuticals, Hadebe’s study focused on cervical cancer.
Hadebe highlighted that cervical cancer remains a global health crisis. While high-income countries such as Europe and North America have seen a decline in incidence and mortality, it continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Southern African women due to late presentation to health facilities and HIV-comorbidity. She said local patients present with more advanced and often metastatic disease, which is more challenging to treat with existing treatment modalities, underscoring the need for new molecular targets for this condition.
The study entitled 68Ga-Pentixafor Imaging of Cervical Cancer, a Comparison with 18F-FDG co-supervised by Professors Vorster, Mike Sathekge and Colleen Aldous, investigated the prognostic capability of CXCR4-targeted imaging using 68Ga-Pentixafor in predicting patient survival and its potential as a molecular target for therapy. ‘It is not practical to biopsy all the lesions to determine expression of CXCR4; however, nuclear medicine imaging allows for imaging of cancer at a molecular level using PET/CT. Thus, PET/CT imaging is crucial for cancer drug development,’ Hadebe explained.
‘It is an honour for our work to be recognised at such a prestigious meeting. We are immensely grateful to UKZN and the IALCH for giving us the necessary support to be able to conduct impactful research in the Department of Nuclear Medicine,’ she said.
Hadebe was also recently awarded the 2023 Discovery Foundation Fellowship Award for her pioneering PhD research on The Impact of Gallium-68 Pentixafor in Solid Tumours. This study explored the potential of Gallium-68 Pentixafor, a novel radiotracer targeting Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in patients with solid tumours including head and neck cancer, breast cancer, and gynaecological malignancies. It aimed to unravel the potential for novel therapies targeting CXCR4 for these cancers.
Hadebe emphasised that molecular imaging represents the future of oncologic imaging, with potential for personalised treatment according to the tumour biology. ‘The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has invested in targeted molecular therapies to improve survival in prostate cancer patients with the introduction of Lu-177 and Ac-225 PSMA therapies at the IALCH. Discovering new molecular targets for cervical cancer is important because in our setting, gynaecological malignancies affect young women and have a high mortality rate. In addition, available novel therapies are not accessible to state patients who are refractory to chemotherapy due to the high cost.’
She credits her supportive husband and family, who share her passion for advancing Nuclear Medicine in her home province of KwaZulu-Natal, for their support and for motivating her to conduct more impactful research in this area and continue mentoring her junior colleagues to contribute towards the advancement of this growing field.
She urged businesses to sponsor targeted radionuclide therapies to help patients in need of this life saving treatment. ‘Targeted therapies have demonstrated improved survival rates and fewer side-effects compared to conventional chemotherapy, as they deliver radiation directly to the tumour with minimal impact on surrounding organs, leading to reduced morbidity and fewer hospital admissions.’
Words: Lunga Memela
