Nuclear medicine: hope in the fight against cancer

In Belgium, over 70,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Nuclear medicine, with the advent of theranostics, an approach that combines diagnosis and targeted treatment through the use of radioligands, is revolutionizing the cancerology landscape.

The use of theranostics in nuclear medicine now makes it possible to treat certain cancers using innovative radiopharmaceuticals (radioligands) that target tumors and metastases directly. In this way, the radioactive substance fights cancer cells by irradiating them in a targeted manner, thereby reducing tumour lesions. The beauty of this targeted therapeutic strategy is that the patient retains a high quality of life throughout his or her treatment.

Recent advances, notably the use of PSMA (Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen) radioligands for prostate cancer, have considerably improved the diagnostic and therapeutic performance of nuclear medicine in this field. What’s more, a real drive is underway to explore new targets. As a result, other cancer pathologies such as breast, digestive and lung cancers could potentially be treated by theranostics.

These promising advances pave the way for effective precision personalized medicine, but also raise challenges for the expansion of this practice, requiring the necessary investment to ensure that patients have access to this therapy.