If standard cancer treatments haven’t slowed your advanced prostate cancer or neuroendocrine tumor, you may benefit from theranostics.

Theranostics is an emerging field of cancer diagnosis and treatment that uses targeted radiation. It draws on characteristics of your specific cancer to help identify and destroy it.

This type of personalized medicine, also known as precision medicine, is only available at academic health systems like MU Health Care.

During theranostics treatment, you'll receive medications with radioactive substances that attach to specific proteins on or in the cancer cells. By binding directly to the cancer, the medications can deliver radiation with greater precision than traditional radiation treatments.

Ellis Fischel Cancer Center is the only cancer center in mid-Missouri that offers both Lutathera and Pluvicto theranostic treatments.

What Types of Cancer Does Theranostics Treat?

The FDA has approved two theranostic medications for specific types of cancer:

Our team has years of experience using both medications to treat cancer. These treatments are given as infusions through intravenous (IV) lines. If you're a candidate, you'll have a series of treatments spaced several weeks apart.

Am I a Candidate for Theranostics?

You may be a candidate for theranostics treatments if you're an adult with:

These treatments often require trying other treatments, like chemotherapy, hormone therapy or external radiation, before you can become eligible to try theranostics. You may also qualify if you are not eligible for surgery for your cancer.

Your medical oncologist may refer you to our radiation oncology team to determine if you're a candidate. Other members of your cancer team, such as your urologist, gastroenterologist or surgeon, can also recommend you for this treatment.

If you're considering theranostics, it's important to find a team with experience using these treatments for cancer. With our expertise, we can determine your likelihood of having a positive response to treatment.

Our Approach to Theranostics

Radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine specialists and scientists work together to deliver theranostics at MU Health Care. They support our medical oncologists, surgeons and other specialists to determine the best approach for your cancer.

When you choose theranostics at our center, you'll first have a consultation with a radiation oncologist. We'll ask you about your health history and previous cancer treatments. Our team will also spend time explaining the treatment, potential side effects and what you can expect.

Throughout your treatment, we'll closely monitor you for side effects from radiation. If needed, we can also provide supportive services and other resources as part of your care plan.

How Can I Benefit from Theranostics?

Theranostics is different from traditional, external radiation, which can sometimes damage healthy tissue. Because theranostics only targets cancer tissue, it may be more efficient and effective at reducing tumors.

Treatments like Lutathera and Pluvicto may offer several benefits, including:

  • Personalized treatment for your tumor, based on its specific characteristics.
  • Fewer side effects because radiation only targets tumors, not healthy tissue.
  • A more convenient treatment schedule compared to chemotherapy or traditional radiation.
  • Ability to slow cancer growth if you are unable to have surgery to remove cancer.

What to Expect With Theranostics

Here's what you can expect with Lutathera or Pluvicto treatment at MU Health Care:

What to Expect Before Lutathera Treatment

  • A few weeks before treatment, you will have a positron emission tomography (PET) scan with a special "tracer" that allows us to determine if your tumors have the specific receptors, or proteins, that Lutathera targets.
  • We may ask you stop taking some cancer medicines before starting Lutathera.
  • We may also ask you to have someone drive you to your first treatment, because you may get nausea.

What to Expect During Lutathera Treatment

  • We'll give you medication through an IV line in your arm or hand to protect your kidneys. We'll also give you an infusion of Lutathera containing a radioactive substance to target your tumor.
  • You'll spend a few hours in our cancer center, after which you can go home.
  • Your body will eliminate the radioactive substance you receive through your urine.
  • You'll return in about eight weeks for a second infusion. In total, you'll receive four infusions of Lutathera.
  • Throughout treatment, we will check your bloodwork. After treatment is complete, you'll have a computed tomography (CT) scan and possibly a PET scan. These scans will show how the treatment affected your cancer.

What to Expect Before Pluvicto Treatment (PSMA Therapy)

  • About two weeks before your treatment, you'll come to the center for blood tests, including a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. You'll also have a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET scan to determine whether your tumors have certain proteins. Pluvicto targets these proteins on cancer cells.
  • We recommend having someone drive you to your first Pluvicto treatment because you may get nausea.

What to Expect During Pluvicto Treatment (PSMA Therapy)

  • At the center, we'll give you medication through an IV in your arm or hand to protect your kidneys. We'll also give you an infusion of Pluvicto.
  • You'll spend about an hour in our center, and then you can go home.
  • Your body will get rid of the radioactive substance in the medication through your urine.
  • After treatment, our team will closely monitor you blood counts to determine how you're handling treatment.
  • In about six weeks, you'll return for another infusion. You'll repeat this cycle until you've had six infusions, or fewer if you experience serious side effects.
  • Once your infusions are complete, you will return to the center so we can check your bloodwork and PSA. You may also have a PET or CT scan. These tests will show how your tumor responded to Pluvicto.

Special Precautions with Theranostics

Because theranostics involves radiation, you'll need to follow certain precautions, like not breastfeeding during and for several weeks after treatment. We'll explain these precautions to you and answer any questions you have before, during and after your infusions.

Why Choose MU Health Care for Theranostics

  • Experienced, collaborative team: As the only center in mid-Missouri offering both Lutathera and Pluvicto, our team has experience administering these personalized theranostics treatments. Ellis Fischel Cancer Center is also home to surgeons, medical oncologists, interventional radiologists and other specialists. This gives you access to complete, high-quality cancer care in one place. We'll also coordinate your care, so you can avoid the hassle of scheduling multiple appointments.
  • A long history of theranostics research: In the early 2000s, University of Missouri (MU) scientists identified the theranostic Lu-177 as a potential cancer treatment. Today, MU's Research Reactor is the only U.S. supplier for four of the most critical isotopes used in cancer treatment, including Lutetium-177 for prostate cancer. Our physician-researchers and scientists at MU Health Care continue to work with industry partners on new theranostics for cancer.
  • Academic advantage: Our ability to have leading researchers and clinicians working together on cancer treatments allows us to give patients access to the newest, most precise cancer treatments—many developed right here in Missouri.Building on our clinical trials expertise, we aim to make more studies with these promising treatments available in the future.
  • Expertise managing side effects: Theranostics are complex radiation therapies that can cause rare but serious side effects, including kidney and fertility issues. Our expert team has designed special protocols to help reduce these risks. We also understand how to minimize more common side effects, like vomiting, nausea and low blood cell counts.

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