Radiopharmaceuticals for Prostate Cancer Treatment

Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) is an advanced radiopharmaceutical therapy used to treat adults with certain types of prostate cancer, particularly metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that expresses prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). Pluvicto is most often administered to patients who have previously treated mCRPC. This targeted treatment works by combining a radioactive isotope, lutetium-177, with a PSMA-targeting molecule, allowing it to bind specifically to cancer cells that express PSMA. Once attached, it delivers radiation directly to these cancer cells, helping to reduce tumor growth while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. Pluvicto helps men live longer, delays prostate cancer progression, and decreases the size of tumors. Administered as an intravenous injection or infusion every six weeks, Pluvicto is a promising option for patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Accuracy and precision when it comes to prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment are critical. Using radiotheranostics for prostate cancer screening gives patients the best of both worlds because it enables our radiation oncologists to create a treatment plan based on the most detailed information available.

Having an extremely detailed and accurate map of cancer helps us focus on what is truly needed to treat prostate cancer. Because radiotheranostics is a targeted treatment, it’s often tolerated better than other radiation therapies, with patients typically experiencing fewer side effects. For patients who do experience side effects, side effects may include fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite.

As exciting as radiotheranostics technology is, it is not suitable for every patient. At Northwest Cancer Clinic, patients will first meet with a radiation oncologist to discuss their medical history and current condition to determine whether radiotheranostics is the right path to pursue. If it is, the radiation oncologist will order the injection of the radioactive tracer and imaging scans.

Based on the detailed images from the scans, the radiation oncologist will map out the location and size of the cancer and create a customized treatment plan. Finally, the patient will receive targeted radiation therapy from the radioactive compounds in the body. By using the radioactive tracers in the body for imaging and treatment, our radiation oncologists are also able to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment as it is ongoing.

Beginning with the prostate cancer screening and consultation, patients can expect a series of appointments. Throughout the patient journey, our dedicated and caring staff are here to provide support and answer questions along the way.

As a clinic of caregivers dedicated to improving the lives of our patients, we are thrilled to offer this specialized radiotherapy treatment option that leverages the improved accuracy for cancer detection to deliver a highly effective treatment with minimized side effects for patients.