The Freehold, NJ office of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) is now offering the targeted therapy Pluvicto^® (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) to patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that is positive for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA).

mCRPC is an advanced form of prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and that is no longer responding to hormone treatment given to reduce levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone that fuels prostate cancer growth. PSMA is a biomarker that is expressed on prostate cancer cells and that can be seen on an imaging test called PSMA positron emission tomography, or PSMA PET.

Pluvicto attaches to PSMA and then is absorbed by cells that express the biomarker. Once absorbed into those cells, Pluvicto releases radiation that can damage and kill cells that are PSMA-positive and other nearby cells.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pluvicto for use in PSMA-positive mCRPC in March 2022 after the Phase 3 VISION trial showed that patients with PSMA+ mCRPC who received Pluvicto had longer survival than men receiving standard therapies. The most common side effects seen with Pluvicto include tiredness, dry mouth, nausea, low red blood cell counts, and loss of appetite, among others.

Pluvicto is given via intravenous (IV) injection or infusion approximately every 6 weeks for up to 6 treatments. The targeted therapy typically is given after mCRPC patients have experienced disease progression on other treatments, such as hormone therapy and chemotherapy. Before starting the treatment, patients must have imaging tests to confirm that they have PSMA-positive cancer cells. Patients also must take certain precautions during and following treatment.

To learn more about Pluvicto and the full range of treatments and clinical trials that the Freehold office of RCCA offers for people with solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and non-cancerous blood disorders, call 732-479-8580.