somebody has just sent me the link below. I’m not sure when this article was made public and how long this therapy has been available but thought it just might be of some use to somebody?
Lutetium-177 has been available privately for a few years, but NICE has recently turned it down as an NHS treatment, because it's judged too expensive for the benefits it brings (extends life by some months, but not curative). This is being appealed by Prostate Cancer UK, Tackle, etc. There are some patients on it as part of trials on the NHS. It's only been used in patients with no more than about 6 months life expectancy - it might be that it's more effective if used earlier in the treatment pathway, and that might make it more cost effective from NICE's perspective. I don't know if any trials on that have started.
There is also a potential follow-on treatment Actinium-225 which might start trials at UCLH in the latter part of this year.
Thanks, Andy. The more I learn about prostate cancer the more I think more has to be done in the research. You men are getting a ‘bum deal’ ( no pun intended!).
Take the space oar to protect the bowel for men undergoing radiotherapy. Its success has been, as far as I can interpret the data, proven. However, Nice seem prepared not to recommend this for nhs use because insufficient research has been undertaken with men with bowel disorders. Well, this research is unlikely to be done because, I think, men with bowel disorders are not routinely offered radiotherapy? lots of question marks in all this because I have not reviewed developments recently and things might have changed!
I would be interested to hear the outcome of the appeal by Prostate Uk etc if and when you hear anything!
That's probably part of a trial. I know someone on a trial of Lutetium-177 at UCLH, but that trial is full now as far as I know, although there may be others.
