Lutetium-177 PSMA for advanced prostate cancer
Lutetium-177 PSMA is a new type of cancer treatment for advanced prostate cancer. By precisely seeking out and destroying cancer cells, it reduces damage to your healthy cells so you can recover faster.
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What is it for?
Treating advanced prostate cancer
Treatment overview
Advanced prostate cancer (metastatic prostate cancer) is a cancer that spreads from the prostate to other parts of the body, and most commonly the bones.
Lutetium-177 PSMA is an innovative new treatment that involves a special radioactive medication being injected into your bloodstream.
Inside your body, the medication seeks out prostate cancer cells and tightly attaches to them. It then precisely delivers a high dose of radiation to destroy the cancer cells.
Usually, most people have four treatments with lutetium-177 PSMA, with three-month breaks between each treatment.
At The London Clinic, your treatment with lutetium-177 PSMA will be overseen by world-leading nuclear medicine and oncology consultants.
Your consultant may recommend lutetium-177 PSMA to you if:
- You’ve already had chemotherapy, or are unable to do so
- You’ve already received a new hormonal therapy such as enzalutamide or abiraterone
Lutetium-177 PSMA is one of several treatment options we offer for advanced prostate cancer.
Your consultant may also recommend one or more of the following treatments, depending on your age, general health and the stage or grade of your prostate cancer.
- Chemotherapy
- External beam radiotherapy (EBRT)
- Hormone therapy
Why choose The London Clinic
Excellence in one place
The London Clinic, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Surrounded by the latest treatments and advice, you’ll have everything you need to get back to your best health. Our patient rooms are designed for your comfort, while our catering team, in collaboration with expert dietitians, provide healthy, delicious meals to support your recovery.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. Our teams will be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs and giving you the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing you’re in the best hands. To provide exceptional care, we keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience. You’ll notice the difference.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it’s your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve
What's included in your package?
Choosing The London Clinic means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That’s why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our finance options here.
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you’re paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more here.
FAQs
Prostate cancer cells feature substances that your doctors may refer to as markers.
One such marker is a type of protein called PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen).
When lutetium-177 is injected into your bloodstream, it specifically seeks out cells that feature PSMA and tightly sticks to them.
The damaging radiation in lutetium-177 then kills the prostate cancer cells over time, while causing minimal damage to healthy cells nearby.
Many people treated with lutetium-177 PSMA therapy have a positive response to it, for example, the signs and symptoms of your cancer may be reduced.
However, because PSMA is a new treatment, we’re still learning about all the benefits it offers.
The most common side effect of PSMA therapy is a dry mouth and dry eyes, and mild lethargy (lack of energy).
Sometimes, you may experience nausea or vomiting as a side effect.
Most of these side effects only last for a short time and are usually gone after a few days.
If you had extensive cancer in your bones when you were treated, the amount of marrow in your bones may be reduced.
This may mean you need a blood transfusion to help you recover.