UnityPoint Health – John Stoddard Cancer Center (JSCC) continues to be a leader in advancing cancer care in Iowa. This year, radiation oncologists at Stoddard Cancer Center is the first in the state to offer Pluvicto apart from a clinical trial; and were the first in central Iowa to offer Lutathera. Both drugs are new infusion therapies to treat specific types of cancer.
“Infusion therapies using radio-pharmaceuticals are a relatively new area of advancement in cancer care,” said Sarah Zeidler, executive director of JSCC. “We’re appreciative of our clinical team and for the collaboration with team members across multiple departments that allows us to offer these new treatment options at John Stoddard Cancer Center.”
Pluvicto
Pluvicto, which was authorized for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2022, is used to treat adults with an advanced case of prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and has already been treated with other traditional cancer treatments. This infusion treatment delivers radiation to targeted cancer cells in the body causing the cells to die. The treatment takes about an hour and may be repeated every six weeks for up to six treatments.
“Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of death for men in the United States,” said Arshin Sheybani, M.D. “We’re excited to be able to offer our patients this new treatment option and improve patient outcomes.”
The first Pluvicto treatment was given at Stoddard Cancer Center on July 22. Another patient is scheduled to receive the treatment later this month. Use of Pluvicto must be recommended by a doctor, and a specialized PET scan is used to determine if the individual is a candidate for the treatment.
Lutathera
Lutathera is a prescription medicine for adults with a certain type of cancer that affects the pancreas or gastrointestinal tract. It’s an infusion treatment that uses radiation to cause damage to cancer cells. The treatment takes about five hours and may be repeated every eight weeks for up to four treatments.
Lutathera received FDA approval in January 2018. Stoddard Cancer Center started using Lutathera earlier this year and has done 16 treatments to date.