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Theranostics and Nuclear Oncology 

FDA approved treatments available for:

  • Prostate cancer

  • Neuroendocrine tumors

  • Thyroid cancer​

Ushering in the new golden age for Nuclear Medicine is Theranostics.

This concept combines the terms therapeutics and diagnostics to describe a cutting edge technology which allows physicians to first visualize cancer with a radioctive drug and then treat that cancer with a different form of the same drug. These drugs are called radiotracers as they are composed of a radioactive source attached to a small molecule which only binds to select targets on cancer cells. The small molecule component for the imaging and therapy agents are nearly identical, while the imaging and therapy radioactive components are different - one for imaging (such as in a PET-CT scan) and one for therapy (delivering high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells).​​​

  • Nuclear Oncology
    Nuclear Oncology defines a sub-specialty of nuclear medicine where physicians not only image and treat patients with theranostic agents, but who also actively engage in the oncologic management of patients, including: Understanding overall cancer management plans Taking increased ownership of patients' well being while under their care Increasing knowledge of related fields, including interventional radiology, radiation oncology, oncologic surgery, and oncology Involvement in multidisciplinary conferences Being up to date on the latest advances in imaging and radiotherapies, in addition to the advances made in the surgical, oncologic, and radiation oncology management of the different cancers they treat Understanding how to best use imaging to determine optimal treatment plans and when to use (or not use) radiotherapies​​
  • Precision Medicine
    Precision Medicine is the ultimate goal/endpoint for nuclear oncology and theranostics: First, image cancers with a variety of radiotracers to determine which specific cancer markers are being expressed, and second, use the select radiotracer(s) to deliver high dose radiation therapy specifically to those cancer cells while leaving the surrounding tissue and uninvolved organs intact.​

Dr. Cassuto currently offers the follow therapies, and offers these therapies to dialysis patients.​​​​​​​​​

Lutathera​ Therapy

  • Indicated for the treatment of progressive gastroenteropancreatic (stomach, gut, or pancrease origin) neuroendocrine tumor​

  • Off label use for difficult to treat paraganglioms, including metestatic paraganglioma

  • Administered every 8 weeks for 4 total doses

  • Requires identification of neuroendocrine tumor receptor positive disease on a Dotatate PET-CT

  • Administered as part of an ~4-4.5 hour infusion protocol within the outpatient infusion center at Overlook Medical Center

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Pluvicto Therapy

  • Indicated for the treatment of advanced metastatic prostate cancer​

  • Administered every 6 weeks for 6 total doses

  • Requires identification of prostate cancer on a PSMA PET-CT

  • Administered as a 1- minute infusion within the nuclear medicine department at Overlook Medical Center (outpatient)

I-131 (Radioactive iodine)​

  • Indicated for the treatment of papillary and follicular thyroid cancer (treating known disease or thyroid remnant) and hyperthyroidism secondary to Grave's disease or toxic thyroid nodule(s)​

  • Administered as a pill within the nuclear medicine department at Overlook Medical Center (outpatient)

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Xofigo Therapy

  • Indicated for the treatment of symptomatic bone metastasis in advanced
    prostate cancer

  • Administered every 4 weeks for 6 total doses

  • Requires identification of bone metastasis on imaging, such as nuclear
    medicine bone scan

  • Administered as a 1- minute infusion within the nuclear medicine department
    at Overlook Medical Center (outpatient)

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Contact us for comprehensive treatment details and protocols

We can discuss pre-treatment requirements and work-up, therapy protocols, post therapy care and follow-up, and radiation safety protocols to be followed at home.

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