Forrest General Cancer Center Introduces Pluvicto, Cutting-Edge Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer
The Nuclear Medicine team at Forrest General Hospital recently introduced Pluvicto, a new treatment for prostate cancer that has metastasized to other parts of the body. Members of the team include, from left, Nuclear Medicine Supervisor, Shon Spradley, CNMT; Joseph Gabriel, CNMT; Thomas Cullom, MS, DABR; Director of Radiology and Cancer Center Manager, Shannon Vega, RN; Zach Christ, PSM, DABR; Matthew Collum, CNMT.
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (April 17, 2024) As the Forrest General Cancer Center continues with its 25th anniversary, pursuing ways to do what is best for its patients is at the forefront.
On April 2, the Cancer Center’s Nuclear Medicine team administered PLUVICTO® treatment for the first time on a prostate cancer patient. This is a new, cutting-edge radiopharmaceutical treatment and the first to be given in South Mississippi. The patient will return in six weeks for a second dose. PLUVICTO® is a series of six injections.
Prior to the Forrest General Cancer Center administering the drug, patients had to travel out of the area to receive treatment, as only a select group of facilities can administer the drug. The treatment, which is used to treat select, advanced prostate cancer patients where the disease has metastasized to other parts of the body, is being overseen by radiation oncologist, Joseph Salloum, MD.
FGH physicist, Zach Christ, PSPM, DABR, explained that PLUVICTO® is a treatment for castrate-resistant metastatic prostate cancer. “We inject a radio ligand into the bloodstream and it targets all areas that are PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen) positive and delivers radioactive particles to those areas of the body and treats it with radiation.”
Christ said the new treatment expands Forrest General’s treatment options. “It is a new development in the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer,” he said. “We are no longer limited to targeting bones with Xofigo or isolated areas with external beam radiation. We can treat anything that is PSMA positive.”
Shon Spradley, CNMT, Nuclear Medicine supervisor, thinks it’s a great opportunity for patients to be able to come to Forrest General for this treatment. “Patients who have been driving miles and miles in order to get this treatment can now stay local and get the same treatment,” he said. “The hospital’s Nuclear Medicine Department team is happy to be able to offer the PLUVICTO® treatment to the community. It’s good to see Forrest General continue to grow with the addition of new technology.”
PLUVICTO® is a multi-disciplinary effort between radiation oncology, and the radiology service line. “We have a commitment to providing advanced treatment modalities to the community and South Mississippi,” said Christ. “We had a successful first treatment which shows that our process works, and we are committed to providing this care to our patients. More procedures are scheduled throughout the rest of the month. This new venture came about through new, specialized training, new equipment, a new vendor relationship, and at the request of our physician provider.”
“Forrest General's radiation oncologists, physicists, nurses, and nuclear medicine team collaborated to bring cutting-edge treatment for prostate cancer to South Mississippi,” said Shannon Vega, oncology service line administrator. “Our team, driven by Joseph Salloum, MD, collaborated to get the new PLUVICTO® treatment to Hattiesburg, which required tenacious work in developing new processes and protocols. Cancer Center staff and patients are thankful for the confidence of our administration's support in fighting cancer.”
About Forrest General’s Cancer Center
The Forrest General Cancer Center ranks among the largest and most sophisticated cancer treatment centers in South Mississippi. It offers a place where patients can receive advanced care in a beautiful, compassionate environment. Forrest General operates the only comprehensive community Cancer Center in the 19-county service area and is accredited by the College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The center features the services of a multidisciplinary team led by medical oncologists/hematologists and radiation oncologists, who provide high quality medical care in a continuum of settings. In addition to medical and radiation oncologists, a complete range of physician specialists provide expertise in diagnoses, surgical removal, disease management and reconstructive procedures.
