Case Study #7: PSMA-617
- Author(s)
- Hofman, MS; Ayati, N;
- Journal Title
- In: Bodei, L., Lewis, J.S., Zeglis, B.M. (eds) Radiopharmaceutical Therapy
- Publication Type
- Book section
- Abstract
- Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is now a mainstream treatment for some cancers, including thyroid and neuroendocrine tumours. Over the last decade, it has also been established as an essential personalized treatment for advanced prostate cancer. In this state-of-the-art technology, a radiopharmaceutical is injected into the patient’s bloodstream and travels to reach prostate cancer cells. This agent has two essential parts: a radionuclide and a targeting vector. The former – the radionuclide – is an element with the ability to emit radiation and kill cancer cells. Currently, the most commonly-used radionuclide for RPT is lutetium-177 (177Lu). This medium-energy β-emitter has favourable features, including low tissue penetration that results in less damage to non-cancerous cells near the tumour; a half-life of 6.7 days that prolongs the exposure of tumour cells to radiation; and the emission of low-energy gamma rays that enable concurrent molecular imaging during treatment. The latter – the targeting vector – is a molecule with the ability to specifically target and bind to cancer cells. In our case, this molecule is PSMA-617, a small molecule inhibitor of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) with the ability to bind to PSMA-expressing cells. These two components – 177Lu and PSMA-617 – combine to form 177Lu-PSMA-617, a powerful agent that has saved many lives. In this chapter, we describe the decades-spanning development of this radiopharmaceutical and summarize its future potential.
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
- Department(s)
- Cancer Imaging
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-39005-0_18
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2024-08-20 06:08:22
Last Modified: 2024-08-20 06:56:56