Lu177 PRRT For Neuroendocrine Tumors (Nets)
NuclearMedicine,asatreatmentprotocolforNeuroendocrineTumors(NETs)hasbeenusedin manycountriesacrosstheglobeformanyayears.
PRRTorPeptideReceptorRadionuclideTherapyisatypeofNuclearMedicineTherapyinwhich acell-targetingproteinorpeptideiscombinedwithasmallamountofradioactivematerialthat created a special type of radiopharmaceutical known as a Radiopeptide. This radiopeptide is injectedintoaNeuroendocrineTumorpatient’sbloodstream.
Unlike healthy cells, the neuroendocrine tumor cells or NET cells have proteins on their cell surface. These proteins, also known as receptors, bind themselves to hormones, such as somatostatin. Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy or PRRT with lutetium 177 dotatate or Lu177 targets these receptors with radiopeptides and deliver a high dose of radiation to the tumorcells.
How PRRT for NET works? – Method of Action
1. Apeptidei.e.agroupofaminoacidsiscreatedthatcanbindtothereceptorsonthe tumorcell’ssurface.
2. Thispeptideisthenpairedwitharadioactiveatomusingachelator(abonding agent).
3. Thiscombinationofthepeptideandtheradioactivematerialcreatesaradiopeptide.
4. ThisradiopeptideisinjectedintoaNeurodendocrineTumor(NET)patient’s bloodstream.
5. TheradiopeptidefindstheNETcancercell’ssomatostatinreceptorsandbindsitself tothem.
6. TheradiopeptideemitsradiationthatkillstheNETcancercell.
Benefits of PRRT
Depending on the type of cancer being treated, patients may need to undergo up to 10 PRRT sessions.Usually,therewouldbe aroundfour-sixsessionsandthese sessionsare spacedtwothreemonthsapart.Inmostcases,thisprocedureisdoneasanoutpatientprocedure.
SeveralstudiesandclinicaltrialshaveshownthatPRRTcan…
o Increaseprogression-freesurvivalandinmanycaseslikelysurvival.
o Improvethequalityoflife.
o Relievesymptoms.
o Decreasetumorsize.
WhilePRRTisgenerallywell-tolerated,thereoccursomecommonside-effects,suchasnausea, vomiting,abdominalpainandfatigue.Someveryrareside-effectsarebone,liver&kidney toxicityandmildhairloss.
Also Read: Which Patient can Benefit with PRRT
For more information on how PRRT can help, please call Dr. Ishita Sen, Director & Head, Department of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI)on+919811127080,orsendanemailtoinfo@nuclearmedicinetherapy.in