The SNMMI Mars Shot Research Fund is pleased to announce that Randy Yeh, MD, a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician at Mount Sinai Health System, associate professor of radiology, and chief of nuclear medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, has been selected as the recipient of a $100,000 SNMMI/Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA) Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Imaging Research Fellowship from the 2025 Mars Shot Fund. Yeh’s Mars Shot grant was awarded based on his proposal, “Improving detection and outcomes in patients with metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer through novel FAPI PET imaging.”
Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC)—or lobular breast cancer— accounts for about 15 percent of all breast cancers, translating to approximately 45,000 new U.S. cases annually. It typically grows in a scattered, single-file pattern rather than forming easily visible or palpable lumps, making it much harder to detect than the more common invasive ductal carcinoma. Consequently, ILC tumors are often missed by screening mammograms, then diagnosed at a larger size and later stage.
“Despite the large number of people who develop ILC each year, there has been limited research focused specifically on detecting or treating this type of breast cancer, which means there are no imaging methods specific to ILC,” said Mason Mitchell-Daniels, LBCA’s Chief Operating Officer. “Determining the most effective imaging technologies for individuals with ILC at any stage is critical and a high priority for the ILC community. We are very pleased to partner with SNMMI and together make a big impact on addressing the ILC imaging challenges with this research initiative.”
Yeh and colleagues believe that 18F-FAPI PET/CT—which targets fibroblast activation protein found on the surface of cancer-associated fibroblasts that are abundant in the supportive tissue of ILC tumors—could be a better imaging option to detect ILC than CT, bone scans, or 18F-FDG PET. Yeh’s study will assess and compare the ability of FAPI PET and FDG PET to detect tumors, focusing on detection rates, image clarity, and signal intensity. It will also evaluate how FAPI PET directly impacts patient care by using questionnaires to determine whether it influences doctors’ treatment decisions or improves patients’ understanding of their condition.
“By providing tools specifically designed to detect and manage this often-overlooked cancer, FAPI PET could lead to improved detection, better outcomes, and an improved quality of life for patients,” said Yeh. “In addition to improving imaging, FAPI PET could be combined with FAPI-based radiopharmaceutical therapy, introducing a promising new treatment option for ILC patients.”
Yeh’s primary research interest is in cancer biology and the implementation of imaging techniques to better target disease mechanisms and improve the care of cancer patients. He received his MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and completed his residency in diagnostic radiology and a fellowship in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital. He is board certified in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine.
“FAPI PET has shown great promise in detecting various cancers, but only a few studies have explored its use in breast cancer, and there are very limited data on FAPI use in ILC,” said Richard Wahl, MD, founder and chair of the Mars Shot initiative. “ILC currently represents a major diagnostic challenge. We look forward to seeing the results of Dr. Yeh’s study to evaluate the potential of FAPI PET imaging for ILC.”
“We thank the LBCA for the generous donation in support of the Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Imaging Research Fellowship as part of the Mars Shot Research Fund,” added Munir Ghesani, MD, Mars Shot cochair.
The SNMMI Mars Shot Research Fund, established in 2023, is a forward-looking glimpse into the future of nuclear medicine. It provides resources that translate visionary nuclear medicine imaging, radiopharmaceutical therapy, and data science research or projects into tools or treatments that will help improve the lives of patients.
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About the SNMMI Mars Shot Research Fund
The ‘Mars Shot for Nuclear Medicine, Molecular Imaging, and Molecularly Targeted Radiopharmaceutical Therapy’ is a forward-looking glimpse into the future of nuclear medicine. Its goal is to provide resources for the translation of visionary nuclear medicine imaging, radiopharmaceutical therapy, and data science research or projects into tools or treatments helping improve the lives of patients.
About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics—precision medicine that allows diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. For more information, visit snmmi.org.
About the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Inc. (LBCA)
Founded in 2017 by individuals with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), LBCA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of ILC and the need for more ILC research. As the only organization in the US dedicated to lobular breast disease, LBCA is the go-to source for information on lobular breast cancer including current studies, lobular-specific clinical trials, and educational content. LBCA is guided by an international scientific advisory board of researchers and clinicians and a patient advocate advisory board. LBCA partners with patients, scientists, clinicians, and breast cancer organizations worldwide to increase dialogue about ILC and fund vital ILC research. Visit the LBCA website at lobularbreastcancer.org.