The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH, N) has become the first health facility in Kenya to introduce Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy, a nuclear medicine treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
The treatment is for men diagnosed with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a form of the illness that no longer responds to standard hormone therapy or chemotherapy.
Clinical research has shown the therapy can help extend survival, slow the spread of the disease, and improve patients’ quality of life especially for those with few remaining treatment options.
“This therapy uses a radioactive compound to specifically target and destroy prostate cancer cells, while causing minimal damage to healthy tissue,” said Dr. Samuel Nguku, head of the hospital’s Nuclear Medicine section.
Although the therapy has received global backing, it has been unavailable in most parts of the world including Kenya until now.
“The introduction of Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy is a major step forward in how we treat cancer in this region, It reflects our strong commitment to giving patients access to the best available treatments backed by science.”said Prof. Mansoor Saleh, Chair of the hospital’s Haemato-Oncology Department.
Prostate cancer is currently the most diagnosed cancer among men in Kenya, and among the leading causes of cancer deaths in men globally.
“Our goal as a hospital is to ensure patients can get the most advanced treatment options right here at home, without needing to travel abroad,” said Rashid Khalani, CEO of AKUH, N.
