End-stage prostate cancer cannot be cured with surgery. But there are still effective treatment options: it is a relatively non-aggressive malignancy that can be controlled for many years. Hormone therapy and chemotherapy are the standard treatments, while the best cancer clinics in Germany also use innovative radiation therapy – Lutetium-177. It provides excellent results even in castration-resistant cancers. To undergo Lutetium-177 therapy in Germany, use Booking Health. Here you can check prices and schedule convenient appointments.
What is Lutetium-177
Lutetium-177 is a radionuclide, a source of beta radiation used to destroy prostate tumors. It is part of a radiopharmaceutical that targets cancer cells without causing significant damage to healthy tissue.Radiation-targeted PSMA therapy is an innovative cancer therapy in which a radiopharmaceutical is injected into the body. The radiopharmaceutical consists of a ligand and a radionuclide. The ligands bind selectively to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein that is produced in large quantities by cancer cells but is virtually absent in normal tissues. The ligands deliver the radionuclide to the cancer cells.
As a result, the drug accumulates only in the tumor tissue, which is destroyed by beta radiation. It is very short, so it does not spread beyond the site of accumulation. It also does very little damage to normal tissue near the tumor site.
In what cases Lutetium-177 is used
The following patients are eligible for radiotargeted prostate cancer treatment in Germany:- Stage 4 prostate cancer
- Ineffectiveness of hormone therapy (castration-resistant cancer)
- Low efficacy of chemotherapy, contraindications to chemotherapy, or patient refusal due to unwillingness to experience side effects
How the treatment with Lutetium-177 is carried out
A patient arrives at a hospital and receives a medical examination. The person then undergoes several tests to exclude contraindications. Patients also undergo a PSA test to further evaluate the biochemical response to treatment.Before treatment with Lutetium-177, a diagnostic procedure called PSMA-PET is performed. It is used to check whether the radionuclide is accumulating in the tumor and to identify all tumor foci. By determining their size, physicians can assess the objective response to radiopharmaceutical treatment by measuring how much the tumors have shrunk.
The treatment itself involves a single intravenous infusion of Lutetium-177. After the infusion, the patient spends three days in the hospital. During this time, most of the radionuclide leaves the body through the excretory system and the person can return home. Repeated courses of treatment are given once every 4 to 8 weeks. The treatment will be continued for as long as it is working and does not cause any severe toxic reactions.
Treatment outcomes
Advanced Lutetium treatment is effective in the majority of patients. They achieve both biochemical and objective responses (reduction in PSA levels and tumor size), indicating a decrease in tumor burden. The use of radiotargeted therapy improves life expectancy and quality of life.Some patient success stories show impressive treatment results: after a course of Lutetium-177 therapy, in some cases, the tumors disappear completely (complete objective response). A very long remission occurs, lasting many years. Cases have been described in which researchers were never able to determine how long the remission-free period lasted because of the end of the study period. It is possible that in these patients the cancer will not return, which could mean a cure for end-stage prostate cancer.
While highly effective, Lutetium-177 has good tolerability and low toxicity. The most common side effect is dry mouth. In rare cases, radiotargeted therapy causes kidney damage. It also decreases the number of cells in the blood.
If you would like to be treated with Lutetium-177 in a German hospital, check the cost of treatment and schedule an appointment, visit Booking Health. Leave a request for a consultation with medical tourism specialists. After reviewing your medical documents, you will receive a call to discuss treatment options and options of clinics for medical care in Germany. Booking Health team will organize your trip abroad, which will free you from worries and allow you to fully concentrate on restoring your health.
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