Lebanon VA treating cancer patients with theranostics

A groundbreaking advance from Lebanon VA uses a new type of treatment for Veterans suffering from metastatic cancers and neuroendocrine tumors. This new treatment is called theranostics, a specialized field of medical practice within nuclear medicine that uses a two-pronged approach to diagnose and treat cancer.

Theranostics uses isotopes of lutetium 177 to specifically attack the cancer cells by destroying the DNA of the cancer cells while leaving the host cells completely untouched. This specialized approach allows physicians to directly attack the cancers affecting the Veteran without compromising the whole system.

“Chemotherapy is an attack on the whole system in an attempt to kill the cancer cells,” said Dr. Adwao Essel, nuclear medicine physician. “Theranostic medicine allows us to directly get at the cancer cells with little to no effect on the whole system.”

Where chemotherapy is akin to a full military assault, theranostic treatments act more as a special forces unit for specific missions.

Little side effects are felt by the patient

The process begins for patients by scheduling a prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) pet scan to accurately map the locations of cancer cells within the human body. During the scan, a patient is provided isotopes which travel through the body and seek out the DNA of specific cancers since PSMA antigens are released by these cells. 

After mapping the locations of these cells throughout the body, the patient is then provided isotopes of lutetium 177. This slightly larger molecule will actively seek out the mapped locations through the PSMA antigens that are released. This allows the nuclear medicine to identify and destroy the DNA of each of those cells. Through the use of this targeted medical procedure, little side effects are felt by the patient.

“I was scared, you know, who wouldn’t be?” said Bruce Bomburger, a Vietnam-era Veteran and theranostic therapy recipient. “I was scared to lose my hair and appetite. But that never happened. I never had any of those side affects you always hear about. I am so thankful.”

“Gave me a lot more time with my family.

Theranostic treatments do not cure cancer, but they do extend the length and quality of life for those who may need other treatment options. “No, it didn’t cure my cancer,” said Bomburger. “But it gave me a lot more time with my family. For that I couldn’t be happier because there is no other reason to be here other than family. VA really helped me here. I recommend this treatment to anyone who needs it.”

The FDA has approved the use of theranostic medicine as a third-line treatment for these types of cancers. As such, most patients will have to use hormone and chemotherapies prior to being permitted to receive treatment with theranostic procedures.

“In the private sector, the necessity to go through these steps for treatments can create a myriad of paperwork and often times be confusing for patients,” said Essel. “By comparison, in VA, we are able to identify patients who would be ideal candidates for this procedure and move them through our system with much less stress for the patient.”