Radiopharmaceuticals

What are radiopharmaceuticals?

Radiopharmaceuticals are specialized drugs that contain small amounts of radioactive material that can help diagnose and treat various medical conditions. In recent years, cancer research has produced several new radiopharmaceuticals that specifically treat advanced prostate cancer.

Who is eligible for radiopharmaceutical treatment?

Patients with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, including the bones
Patients whose prostate cancer has not responded adequately to hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery

How do radiopharmaceuticals help diagnose advanced prostate cancer?

Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals are invaluable in helping clinicians evaluate and diagnose patients. These specialized compounds bind to prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on prostate cancer cells. Usually given by injection, radiopharmaceuticals travel through the patient’s bloodstream to locate and attach to the cancer cells. The radiation emitted by these compounds can be detected by imaging scans such as a PET, enabling doctors to identify the precise location of the cancer.

How do radiopharmaceuticals treat advanced prostate cancer?

Radiopharmaceuticals are a type of precision therapy designed for treating advanced prostate cancer. Once your physician determines the proper dosage, the radiopharmaceuticals will be administered to the patient. The radioactive compound targets the cancer and releases radiation that disrupts and destroys cancer cells, while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. This treatment helps shrink the cancer, slow its growth, and relieve bone pain.

Radiopharmaceutical benefits

Reduced Side Effects

Studies of patients who have been treated with radiopharmaceuticals suggest this treatment may reduce the risk of both short- and long-term side effects associated with other cancer treatments.¹

Tumor Shrinkage

Research has shown that patients who received radiopharmaceutical treatments were more likely to see their tumor shrink compared to patients receiving standard cancer treatment.¹

Life-Extending Benefits

In clinical trials, patients who received radiopharmaceutical treatments saw longer progression-free survival compared to patients receiving standard treatment.^1,2