A company named Chengdu Shetai Medical Technology Co., Ltd. is conducting a research study to test a new type of scan for detecting solid tumors in patients who are scheduled for surgery.
During the scan, the investigators will use a special experimental drug called 68Ga-GP-01 Injection, which is given through a vein (IV). This drug isn't yet approved by the TGA for this use.
The scan works by targeting a protein called FAP that's often found in high amounts in tumor tissues. FAP is mainly present in cells surrounding tumors, but sometimes in cancer cells themselves too - especially in certain cancers like ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and some sarcomas. Researchers think this could be useful for both diagnosis and potential future treatments.
The GP-01 molecule is combined with a radioactive material (Gallium-68) that shows up on PET scans - a special imaging technique that can spot cancer cells in the body.
Currently, CT scans are the most common way to check for tumors before surgery. A PET/CT machine combines both technologies - it can show both the structure of participant's organs (CT) and detect cancer cells that have absorbed the radioactive tracer (PET).
In this study, the investigators want to see if 68Ga-GP-01 works better than standard PET/CT scans at finding tumors. After participant's surgery, the investigators will compare our scan results with participant's pathology report (the most accurate way to diagnose cancer) to check how accurate our method was.
Important: This is NOT a treatment for participant's cancer - it's just testing a new way to detect tumors.
About 20 patients at 4 Australian hospitals will participate. If participant is willing to join, participant's involvement will last about 2 months.