Pluvicto Provides Hope For Veterans with Metastatic Prostate Cancer
- Pluvicto is a new, targeted treatment used in metastatic prostate cancer that has progressed despite treatment with other therapies such as hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
- Pluvicto targets PSMA, a molecule predominately found in prostate cancer cells. Pluvicto is absorbed by the prostate cancer cells and the radiation molecule in Pluvicto, Lutetium-177, kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA.
- The treatment has been shown to prolong survival and improve quality of life in men with metastatic prostate cancer that expresses PSMA.
- Pluvicto is typically administered through an IV once every six weeks, with regular monitoring for side effects and blood count changes.
Pluvicto treats metastatic prostate cancer, where the disease has spread to other areas in the body. It works by targeting cancer cells precisely while sparing healthy tissue. This provides a tolerable option for some patients when other treatments fail.
Read MoreWhat is Pluvicto?
Pluvicto is a new treatment specifically designed to combat advanced prostate cancer by delivering radiation directly to cancer cells.Pluvicto targets prostate cancer cells by binding to PSMA, a protein mainly present within these cells, thereby minimizing any harm to normal tissues.
This is different from many other commonly used medications in metastatic prostate cancer such as hormone therapy and chemotherapy, which are not as precise and may cause significant side effects.
How does Pluvicto target prostate cancer?
Pluvicto uses a specially designed molecule to target PSMA. This molecule carries Lutetium-177, a radioactive substance, directly into the cancer cells. When Pluvicto enters these cells, the radiation from Lutetium-177 damages the prostate cancer’s DNA, causing their destruction.
“Essentially, it directly hones in on that prostate cancer protein and delivers a very effective radiation dose to that tissue and thereby sparing a lot of the healthy tissue,” Dr. Wise explains.
Who is a candidate for Pluvicto?
Good candidates for Pluvicto treatment must:
- Have metastatic disease that has spread beyond the prostate to other parts of the body
- Have disease that has progressed after initial treatment with hormone therapies and chemotherapy
- Have disease that expresses PSMA, which is tested using a PSMA PET Scan which is essentially a specialized camera doctors use for detecting prostate cancer.
What is the benefit of Pluvicto?
When someone comes for Pluvicto treatment they have probably been through several rounds of other therapies. They are also likely experiencing significant symptoms from their disease. Pluvicto improves the survival and progression in metastatic prostate cancer as well as quality of life.
Prior to Pluvicto, there were limited treatment options for people with metastatic disease that did not respond to hormone therapy and chemotherapy.
It is important to note that your prostate cancer must produce PSMA for Pluvicto to work. Fortunately, approximately 80% of prostate cancers express PSMA.
“So it really can work in the majority of patients — and in the subset of patients, can work spectacularly well where we see a large and significant reduction in the burden of the cancer and the symptoms from the cancer,” Dr. Wise notes.
How is Pluvicto given?
Like many other cancer medications, Pluvicto is given through an IV drip.
“It’s delivered quite quickly by either a nuclear medicine physician or a radiation oncologist,” Dr. Wise explains.
Patients who receive Pluvicto undergo regular evaluations every few weeks to monitor for side effects. If the drug is well tolerated, treatment continues for a total of six treatments.
Is Pluvicto well-tolerated?
According to Dr. Wise, patients tolerate Pluvicto really well which is why it’s become such a popular treatment.
However, common side effects include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Dry mouth
Blood count may drop during treatment, often without symptoms. Regular blood tests are important to monitor this change.
How effective Is Pluvicto?
Pluvicto shows great promise in treating advanced prostate cancer. It targets cancer cells effectively, slowing disease progression.
Patients often experience a reduction in tumor size and improved symptoms. However, it’s important to understand that Pluvicto is not a cure.
“Pluvicto is really meant to be used to dramatically reduce the burden of the cancer and give more time and give better quality of life, but also open up more opportunities in treatment and clinical trials that are designed to give us even a bigger upside,” Dr. Wise says.
So, while Pluvicto a significant step in managing prostate cancer, the search for a complete cure continues.
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