International Best Abstract Award for Nuclear Medicine

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UKZN’s Discipline of Nuclear Medicine received the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) 2025 International Best Abstract Award at the organisation’s annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Chair of SNMMI’s Scientific Programme Committee, Dr Heather Jacene, said the award aimed to honour and celebrate the extraordinary work being done globally to advance nuclear medicine and molecular imaging.

Dr Bawinile Hadebe, Head of the Nuclear Medicine Clinical Unit at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), presented the abstract: ‘Preliminary Results of First Clinical Experience with 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT Imaging in Gynecological Malignancies, a Comparison with 18F-FDG and CXCR4 Immunohistochemistry’.

According to the team of researchers, the protein, CXCR4, is overexpressed in cancer, including gynaecological malignancies and its expression is associated with poorer prognosis and resistance to chemoradiation.

“68GaPentixafor PET/CT facilitates non-invasive visualisation of CXCR4 expression in vivo,” Hadebe explained.

“Despite its potential utility, data on its application in gynaecological malignancies remain limited. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic utility and prognostic value of CXCR4-targeted PET imaging using 68Ga Pentixafor in patients with carcinoma of the cervix, vulva, ovary, and endometrium, and to compare its performance with 18F FDG PET/CT and CXCR4 immunohistochemistry (IHC).”

Hadebe noted that gynaecological malignancies were common in sub-Saharan Africa.

“In our setting patients present late with more advanced disease, which is harder to treat. Chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) expression has been shown to be associated with more aggressive disease, increased risk of metastasis, resistance to chemoradiation and a poorer prognosis.”

Hadebe unpacked how preclinical studies have shown that adding CXCR4 inhibitors to standard chemoradiation increased chemosensitivity and improved patient outcomes, however, there were limited studies investigating CXCR4 expression in gynaecological malignancies.

“In this study, we compared Ga-68 Pentixafor PET/CT imaging with F-18 FDG in patients with gynaecological malignancies. We found that CXCR4 imaging of gynaecological malignancies is feasible and complements F-18 FDG PET/CT. Higher tracer uptake was noted in ovarian and vulva cancer. This means that these malignancies could potentially be treated& with therapies targeting CXCR4. Furthermore, CXCR4 expression was associated with poorer prognosis and can be used to identify patients needing more intensified therapy protocols,” said Hadebe.

Hadebe said she was honoured to receive this award and was deeply grateful to her supervisors, Professors Mariza Vorster, Mike Sathekge and Colleen Aldous, the Nuclear Medicine and Oncology teams at IALCH and Drs Sekwaila Masenya and Mpumelelo Msimang - her colleagues from Anatomical Pathology. She also thanked the Discovery Foundation for sponsoring this research.

“Having recently completed my PhD research and being the first to graduate with a PhD from UKZN’s Nuclear Medicine Department, I aim to continue making meaningful contributions and conducting impactful research within the Department with Professor Mariza Vorster and the rest of our team.” Hadebe said she aspires to inspire and mentor junior colleagues to embrace and practice evidence-based medicine.

Vorster said: “Our team is extremely proud of Dr Hadebe’s PhD achievement and the award and recognition she has subsequently received. As Head of Nuclear Medicine, I am deeply committed to creating impactful opportunities and cultivating an environment where every nuclear medicine physician in our team is supported to reach their full potential. Similarly, we remain steadfast in our mission to offer our patients the highest possible standard of nuclear medicine care and will continue to expand and intensify our research focus - particularly in addressing cancers that disproportionately affect women.”

Words and photograph: Lunga Memela