Discovering Lutetium-177 as a cutting-edge cancer treatment
Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men, ranking second after lung cancer in most countries of the world. In the early stages of this disease, it can be successfully treated with several methods, including non-surgical treatment. But in later stages, when distant metastases appear, the disease can no longer be cured and becomes increasingly difficult to control.
Using innovative techniques, doctors in foreign clinics are achieving excellent long-term survival rates even in the advanced stages of prostate cancer. One of these methods is PSMA therapy. Visit the Booking Health website to find out the Lutetium-177 PSMA cost in Germany and to make an appointment.
When to Use Lutetium-177 Treatment
The technique is a systemic method of cancer treatment that affects not only the tumor but also all metastases. PSMA therapy is used in the advanced cancer stages, but not as a first-line treatment option:
- When hormone therapy no longer works to control the cancer (castration-resistant tumor)
- When chemotherapy is not effective, is contraindicated, or the patient refuses it due to side effects
Thus, Lutetium therapy is used in the most severe cases, when other treatment options are no longer effective or too toxic for the patient. Even in these situations, PSMA therapy often provides excellent results: it significantly reduces PSA levels and tumor burden, reduces tumor size, and in a small percentage of patients, all tumors are confirmed by radiology to have disappeared.
This result is called a complete response to treatment. It does not always mean that the cancer is cured; the tumor may return in the future. However, there are many cases in the medical literature where prostate cancer has not returned for many years after treatment with Lutetium-177.
Here is How it Works
Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy involves the injection of a radiopharmaceutical into the patient's vein. It consists of:
- Ligand – a molecule responsible for selective binding to the tumor
- Radionuclide – a molecule that destroys the tumor through beta radiation
The radiopharmaceutical targets the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) molecule. It is produced in large quantities by tumor cells and is located on their surface. Healthy tissues do not have PSMA, or the amount of these molecules is negligible: hundreds or even thousands of times less than in tumors.
After the accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical in the tumor foci, they are affected by radiation, the source of which is Lutetium-177. It gives a very short beta radiation with a spread of 1 mm. It acts only in the zone of radiopharmaceutical accumulation without significantly damaging the neighboring normal tissues.
How Safe is PSMA Therapy
No prostate cancer treatment is completely safe. PSMA therapy is no exception. But compared to other treatments, such as chemotherapy, Lutetium therapy is less toxic, better tolerated, and much less likely to cause serious complications.
The most common side effect of PSMA therapy is dry mouth. There are rare cases of deterioration of kidney function and a decrease in the number of blood cells due to the effect of radiation on the bone marrow.
Where to Undergo Treatment
If you want to undergo diagnostics or treatment for prostate cancer abroad, use Booking Health service. Here you can find the best Lutetium-177 treatment clinics.
The website shows the prices in different medical centers. You can compare the cost of services and choose a suitable option. Leave a request on the website to get advice from medical tourism specialists. BookingHealth staff will choose a clinic for you, book an appointment on convenient dates and organize your trip.
