I am an Engineer and wonder why PSMA imaging and use of Lutetium early after even minimal identification of small tumors isn’t the best method rather then wait until the body is riddled with cancer and hope. Hope is not a strategy. We are wasting time and countless lives with this slow process.
i was at Mayo getting a PSMA/CAT scan on thursday - and we chatted about this - Mayo said the current of cost is around $200,000 per infusion and you need 6 of them - so cost is a major factor - i'm guessing that (like so many other drugs) the cost in the US is too high for wide usage
I had a consultation with an Oncologist in London about Lutetium treatment. It was very thorough. He explained that PSMA markers are located in other area of the body including liver and kidney so the radiation will be taken up there too. Also in bones. So it's not quite as targeted as it might seem. He explained that you don't want that uptake in those areas so Lutetium comes with a warning. Additionally there has to be 'enough' affected tissue for the binder molecule to latch onto and release the radiation so if there is not 'enough' the treatment won't work. Hope this adds info for people here
I too am surprised that Lu177 treatment is not prescribed for early stage Prostate cancer. I have scanned the web but I don't see any scientific papers on this treatment other than for metastasized prostate cancer. In India the cost for Lu177 is reasonable but as yet people still continue with the Radiation therapy or Surgery for early stages with it's horrendous long term side effects. At stage 1 (if the tumor expresses PSMA and is suitable for Lu177 treatment) the tumor may even require just a couple of cycles of treatment rather than 4 or 6 cycles when it has spread. Can someone enlighten us on why it is not proffered for early stage prostate cancer (other than the high cost factor).
If you’ve come across this video, I believe you have found the top doctor and clinic in the country giving advanced recurrent prostate cancer patients hope. I am one of them. I was found to have prostate cancer in 2005 with a Gleason score of 3 + 4 = 7 and subsequently had a robotic prostatectomy locally that initially yielded an undetectable PSA value. My cancer came back about e years later for which I had 39 treatments of salvage radiation therapy locally. Unfortunately, my PSA never returned to zero. I graphically plotted my monotonic increasing PSA over several months. For the next few years I went to my local urologist and a well-known cancer center in my state and had several MRI scans. None of these scans could find any tumors and both recommended a “watchful waiting” approach and hinted at palliative care in the future. In 2016, thanks to research by my wonderful wife, we found out about the C-11 choline PET scan that Dr. Kwon and others at Mayo developed. This scan found at least 3 large tumors in various locations all of which were surgically inoperable. Dr. Kwon immediately started me on chemotherapy, hormone therapy and later radiation therapy for which my tumors responded and my PSA returned to non-detectable values. Unfortunately, after about 9 months my cancer returned. I’ve since had 25 additional treatments of external beam radiation therapy, 2 MR cryoablations, a surgical removal of a lymph node, 3 tumor directed radiation treatments, and a second chemotherapy regimen. About a year ago my prostate cancer no longer showed up in a C-11 choline PET scan, but did present itself in a PSMA PET scan. I have now received 5 Lutetium 177 treatments and am fortunate that this treatment is lowering my PSA with no uptake being seen in the scans. Some people like talking about their ailments (I’ve been fighting it for over 16 years) but the purpose I have for detailing my journey here is to give you hope with Dr. Kwon and Mayo Clinic. I believe I’d now be dead if I’d listened to my local doctors. As you can see Dr. Kwon believes in concurrent aggressive therapies and hitting this insidious disease with every weapon and treatment available. I believe no healing comes without our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and many times works through doctors and others. Dr. Kwon and his staff and Mayo have developed a method and plan for treating this disease and are constantly researching and developing new ways to combat it. Dr. Kwon seems to have irrepressible energy, tirelessly working to destroy this disease and deep compassion for his patients, while yet being friendly, fun, and professional. It's always a joy to interact with him and his great team. I repeatedly travel 1000+ miles several times a year to benefit from his expertise and care. If you have prostate cancer, especially recurrent stage 4 prostate cancer like I do, I recommend you get an appointment with Dr. Kwon at Mayo as soon as possible.
I have considered this question. In my particular case I don't think I'd be alive because I had this cancer when I was relatively young (it being therefore more aggressive); and my cancer had already gone beyond the bounds of the prostate by the time I had my prostatectomy (the biopsy didn't reveal this). Later developments confirm my belief having it aggressively metastasize into several areas of my body. Perhaps for some men with a very slow growth rate they'd be okay. From what I've heard men who develop this cancer later in life won't die from it, but in my case I was young having many years for it to develop and take over.
May I ask where you live? I live in Buffalo NY and have been going to Mayo recently. .Dx in 2015. Treated with Actinium225 in NYC which worked so well. Now going to Mayo for radiation. Dr Kwon and Dr Bradley Stish. Going for the cure, can we say that?
Hello Dr. Kwon. Thanks for the extra clarity. I’m here in Vermont and good fortune has me as the first recipient of 177 Lutetium for advanced prostate cancer. My family and I want to say thanks to all the many folks involved in bringing continued hope. 🙏🏼
I recently had the privilege of a video call with a member of your team regarding my recurrence. She was extremely forthcoming with her knowledge in answering my questions. Initially, I was hoping you could "just go in and pluck it out" referring to my single lymph node which lit up in my PSMA scan! However, I have resigned myself to the daunting fact that I must now endure hormone and radiation therapy. What data is available regarding the combination of Orgovyx and Nubeqa? In order to best manage my side effects and future complications, these are my drug choices. Knowingly each works well on it's own, but how will they interact?
Our family is so thankful for Dr Kwon. My husband has been treated by him for about 4 years now. Praise God for Dr's that are so passionate and really care about their patients. Dr Kwons research is cutting edge.
Good information. Nice to see scientists are making a lot efforts fo the advance treatment of Prostate Cancer. I am hopeful in near future one day the complete cure of this would be available and it will be the first one types of cancer having full cure.
The Kwon Team is fantastic! They deliver cutting edge care with a personalized, patient centered bedside manner. We travel to see Dr Kwon, and feel that is one of the best decisions we’ve made since starting this cancer journey almost 6 years ago.
Thank you so much Dr. Kwon (and team) for helping me better understand my father's treatment plan. You make things so easy to understand, and I am very grateful for that 🤲
I am suffering from newro endaro coin tumer cancer in liver.. I taking luttatium 177 injection in august 16th.. i am from India at near Hyderabad.. this injection cured my diesses? Please reply Sir..
Thank you Dr. Kwon. It's very useful presentation. I've been a prostate-cancer patient for more than 15 years. Getting my care with Dr. Kwon made it very hopeful to cope with this disease.
Dr. Kwon has become my favorite presenter - I am 15 months into my prostate cancer experience, 13 months post prostatectomy (Gleason 9) and to date, no metastatic disease. I have had 2 PSA tests that confirm I am still cancer free, but I will remain vigilant for the rst of my days. These youtube presentations are amazing. Thank you so very much!!!
I’ve been having this treatment currently done, but I am only receiving 4 cycles every 6 weeks (going for my last cycle this week). Makes me wonder why I am only getting 4 cycles as opposed to 6.
I received all four cycles this year and I feel good so far while going through the monitoring phase. I'm also on hormone treatment every six months. Maybe they wanted to see how your and my body handled it before they give us the rest.
