Radionuclide Treatments

Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT is the most successful current imaging technology used to evaluate the spread of prostate cancer to other organs or tissues.

Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT

It is the most successful current imaging technology used to evaluate the spread of prostate cancer to other organs or tissues. The prostate-specific substance called PSMA is bonded with gallium 68 radioisotope and administered to the patient intravenously, and imaging is performed with a PET/CT device. Gallium 68 PSMA binds to some special molecules in the prostate cancer cell and allows showing cancerous tissues. With this method, patients are not given very high radiation.

What is the Gallium-68 PSMA PET/CT processing process?

The examination requires planning one day in advance. For this reason, we work by appointment. There is a waiting period of 45-60 minutes after the drug is given intravenously. The shooting time inside the device is approximately 20 minutes and you should not move during this period. It may take 2-3 hours in total in the Department of Nuclear Medicine. It is recommended to drink plenty of water before and after the examination. Since the radiation will remain in the body for a while (8-12 hours) after the examination, it is necessary to keep a distance, especially from pregnant women and children.

Gallium-68 DOTATATE PET/CT

It is the most advanced technology that can be used in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors. There is a special receptor (sensing protein) called “somatostatin” on the surface of neuroendocrine tumor cells. DOTATATE is a peptide compound that can bind to these receptors. When combined with a radioactive substance called “Gallium-68” and administered to the patient, the tissues containing tumor cells can be imaged with high accuracy with the PET/CT device. In this method, the patient is not given a high radiation dose.

LUTECIUM-PSMA treatment

Lutetium-PSMA (177Lu-PSMA) treatment is a radionuclide treatment whose use is increasing day by day in patients with advanced prostate cancer. The aim of this treatment is to reduce the size of the tumor and stop the proliferation of tumor cells. In this context, the progression of the disease can be controlled and it is possible to soothe advanced disease symptoms such as widespread bone pain and fatigue. This treatment is usually required when the disease progresses, spreads, or chemotherapy etc. It is used when the side effects of other treatments such as treatment cannot be tolerated by the patient.

Is LUTECIUM-PSMA treatment safe?

The radiation used in this treatment is designed to destroy cancer cells. PSMA injected into the body travels towards the tumor and targets cancerous cells. Apart from prostate cancer cells, PSMA is also found in tissues such as salivary glands, lacrimal glands and kidney. Therefore, these tissues may also be exposed to radiation. However, this effect is low and since PSMA adheres directly to cancerous cells, it does not show the destructive side effects of chemotherapy. Side effects such as dry mouth, temporary fatigue or temporary decrease in blood values ​​may be observed in some patients. These effects can be controlled with blood tests performed at regular intervals after treatment. In addition, patients who may be exposed to side effects can be identified through tests before a treatment decision is made. Side effects are kept at the lowest possible level thanks to personalized treatment strategies specific to each patient, supported by test results and dosimetry studies.

LUTECIUM-DOTATATE treatment

Lutetium-Octreotide, [Lutesyum-DOTATATE (177Lu-DOTATATE)] It is an increasingly common treatment for patients with advanced neuroendocrine cancer. Another name is “peptide receptor radionuclide therapy” (PRRT). The aim of this treatment is to reduce the size of the tumor and stop the proliferation of tumor cells. In this context, the progression of the disease can be controlled and it is possible to soothe advanced disease symptoms such as widespread bone pain and fatigue. This treatment is usually used when the disease progresses, spreads, or the side effects of other treatments cannot be tolerated by the patient.

Is LUTECIUM-DOTATATE treatment safe?

The radiation used in Lutetium-Octreotide treatment is designed to destroy cancer cells. Smart molecules targeting somatostatin receptors injected into the body target cancerous cells during their journey towards the tumor. Apart from cancer cells, somatostatin receptors are found in many different organs. Therefore, these tissues may also be exposed to radiation. However, this effect is low and does not show any of the destructive side effects of chemotherapy, as the smart molecules adhere directly to cancer cells. Side effects such as a temporary decrease in blood values ​​may be seen in some patients. These effects can be controlled with blood tests performed at regular intervals after treatment. In addition, patients who may be exposed to side effects can be identified through tests before a treatment decision is made. Thanks to patient-specific personalized treatment strategies supported by test results and dosimetry studies, side effects are kept at the lowest possible level.

radium therapy

Radium therapy is a form of treatment used in patients whose prostate cancer has metastasized or spread to the skeletal system and bones. The aim of this treatment is to destroy cancer cells in the bones and thus cause the tumors to shrink or even disappear. In addition to its therapeutic effect, it is also used to reduce pain caused by bone metastases.

Is radium therapy safe?

Since the energy level of the radiation used in radium treatment is very high, its destructive power is very high. However, this alpha type radiation can travel very short distances due to its nature. What is meant by short distance here is a length the size of 2 to 10 cells. Thanks to these properties, alpha-type radiation destroys cancer cells in the bone but does not affect healthy normal cells. Side effects after treatment are rare and usually occur as a temporary decrease in blood values. Therefore, patients should be checked at regular intervals after treatment.

actinium treatment

Ac-225 PSMA is the name of the radioactive substance given to the patient in targeted alpha therapy for prostate cancer. It is a treatment that can be used in metastatic advanced prostate cancer patients. The aim of this treatment is to reduce tumor size, stop the proliferation of tumor cells, and destroy tumor cells. Radionuclide treatments are used in the treatment of prostate cancer when the disease progresses, spreads or chemotherapy etc. They are preferred when other treatments such as are ineffective or their side effects cannot be tolerated by the patient. As a general approach, the first choice in patients for whom radionuclide treatment is decided is Lutetium PSMA treatment. Lutetium-PSMA is a treatment method that has been applied to thousands of patients around the world and in Turkey. The main goals of Lutetium-PSMA treatment include reducing symptoms, prolonging lifespan and improving quality of life. However, in some patients, despite Lutetium-PSMA treatment, there may be no response to treatment or the response of the disease to treatment may be inadequate. In fact, the disease may continue to progress despite treatment. In the medical literature, it is shown in more and more patients day by day that targeted alpha treatments with Actinium-225-PSMA give much better results in this group of patients.

Is actinium treatment safe?

The radiation used in actinium (Ac-225) therapy is designed to destroy cancer cells. PSMA injected into the body targets cancerous cells during their journey towards the tumor. Apart from prostate cancer cells, PSMA is also found in tissues such as salivary glands, lacrimal glands and kidney. Therefore, these tissues may also be exposed to radiation. However, this effect is very low, and since PSMA adheres directly to cancerous cells, it does not show any of the destructive side effects of chemotherapy. Side effects such as dry mouth, temporary fatigue or temporary decrease in blood values ​​may be observed in some patients. These effects can be controlled by blood tests and examination performed at regular intervals after the treatment.