Theranostics as a Treatment for Prostate Cancer

What Is Prostate Cancer?

Prostatic carcinoma or prostate cancer is cancer in a man’s prostate. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized gland that produces an organic fluid called the seminal fluid that nourishes the sperm. Prostate is present in between the bladder and the penis. Symptoms of prostate cancer include burning sensation during urination, enlargement of the prostate gland, pressure and pain in the pelvic and rectal area, and blood in urine or semen.

What Causes Prostate Cancer?

The actual cause for prostate cancer is still under study. The abnormal multiplication of cells in the prostate due to hormonal problems could be the reason for prostate cancer and the likeliness to get it increases with age. It could be also because of family history.

Benefits of Theranostics in Treating Prostate Cancer

Theranostics is a combination of therapy wherein one radioactive drug diagnoses the illness and the other one treats it. It is one of the most effective methods in treating cancer and tumors. Generally, cancer treatment involves chemotherapy, but recent studies show that theranostics is a far more efficient way to treat cancer. The research that is currently taking place in Australia proved that Theranostics is beneficial in treating advanced prostate cancer cases.

Lutetium-177 is the radioactive material that is introduced to kill the cancer cells. Researchers reveal that this therapy is far more significant than therapies that are usually used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Radiopharmaceutical is a therapy where the radioactive drug only reaches the affected area. This is usually monitored using imaging. This therapy has received a great welcome in the medical field since the treatment is localized to the affected area only.

But, since theranostics involves treatment using radioactive materials, there is a lot of research yet to be done and doctors need to be extremely cautious while providing the treatment to avoid radiation exposure.