Radioligand therapy with 177Lu-PSMA in castration-resistant prostate cancer: a literature review and case series
- Authors: Volkova M.I.1,2, Krylov A.S.3, Nosov D.A.4, Alekseev B.Y.5,6
-
Affiliations:
- Moscow State Budgetary Healthcare Institution "Oncological Center No. 1 of Moscow City Hospital named after S.S. Yudin, Moscow Healthcare Department"
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
- Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology
- Central Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic
- Russian Biotechnological University
- National Medical Research Radiological Centre
- Issue: Vol 27, No 4 (2025)
- Pages: 331-339
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://bakhtiniada.ru/1815-1434/article/view/382549
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.26442/18151434.2025.4.203504
- ID: 382549
Cite item
Full Text
Abstract
Overexpression and ligand-dependent internalization of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), followed by its accumulation in prostate cancer (PCa) cells, make this glycoprotein a good target for radionuclide-based targeted therapy. Currently, the only drug in this group with efficacy proven in a large randomized clinical study in patients with metastatic castration-resistant PCa is 177Lu-PSMA-617. The article presents an overview of the data on the mechanism of action and the results of completed studies of radioligand therapy (RLT) with 177Lu-PSMA for PCa, the current indications for this type of treatment in patients with a castration-resistant phase of the disease, and practical guidelines for RLT, including its planning, implementation, monitoring of effectiveness, and radiation protection measures. Clinical cases of patients with partial response/stabilization of the disease during RLT, significant improvement/complete response, and progression of PCa are presented.
About the authors
Maria I. Volkova
Moscow State Budgetary Healthcare Institution "Oncological Center No. 1 of Moscow City Hospital named after S.S. Yudin, Moscow Healthcare Department"; Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
Author for correspondence.
Email: mivolkova@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7754-6624
SPIN-code: 8942-0678
D. Sci. (Med.), Moscow State Budgetary Healthcare Institution «Oncological Center No. 1 of Moscow City Hospital named after S.S. Yudin, Moscow Healthcare Department», Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education
Russian Federation, Moscow; MoscowAlexander S. Krylov
Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology
Email: mivolkova@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8476-7879
SPIN-code: 4254-3930
Cand. Sci. (Med.)
Russian Federation, MoscowDmitry A. Nosov
Central Clinical Hospital with Polyclinic
Email: mivolkova@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8415-5197
D. Sci. (Med.), Prof.
Russian Federation, MoscowBoris Ya. Alekseev
Russian Biotechnological University; National Medical Research Radiological Centre
Email: mivolkova@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3398-4128
D. Sci. (Med.), Prof.
Russian Federation, Moscow; MoscowReferences
- Kessel K, Bernemann C, Bögemann M, Rahbar K. Evolving Castration Resistance and Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen Expression: Implications for Patient Management. Cancers (Basel). 2021;13(14):3556. doi: 10.3390/cancers13143556
- Nguyen DP, Xiong PL, Liu H, et al. Induction of PSMA and Internalization of an Anti-PSMA mAb in the Vascular Compartment. Mol Cancer Res. 2016;14(11): 1045-103. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-16-0193
- Sweat SD, Pacelli A, Murphy GP, Bostwick DG. Prostate-specific membrane antigen expression is greatest in prostate adenocarcinoma and lymph node metastases. Urology. 1998;52(4):637-40. doi: 10.1016/s0090-4295(98)00278-7
- Silver DA, Pellicer I, Fair WR, et al. Prostate-specific membrane antigen expression in normal and malignant human tissues. Clin Cancer Res. 1997;3(1):81-5.
- Parker C, Nilsson S, Heinrich D, et al. Alpha emitter radium-223 and survival in metastatic prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(3):213-23. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1213755
- Kwan TN, Spremo S, Teh AYM, et al. Performance of Ga-68 PSMA PET/CT for diagnosis and grading of local prostate cancer. Prostate Int. 2021;9(2):107-12. doi: 10.1016/j.prnil.2020.07.008
- Prasad V, Huang K, Prasad S, et al. In Comparison to PSA, Interim Ga-68-PSMA PET/CT Response Evaluation Based on Modified RECIST 1.1 After 2(nd) Cycle Is Better Predictor of Overall Survival of Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With (177)Lu-PSMA. Front Oncol. 2021;11:578093:578093. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.578093
- Seifert R, Emmett L, Rowe SP, et al. Second Version of the Prostate Cancer Molecular Imaging Standardized Evaluation Framework Including Response Evaluation for Clinical Trials (PROMISE V2). Eur Urol. 2023;83(5):405-12. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2023.02.002
- Paschalis A, Sheehan B, Riisnaes R, et al. Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Heterogeneity and DNA Repair Defects in Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol. 2019;76(4): 469-78. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2019.06.030
- Violet J, Sandhu S, Iravani A, et al. Long-Term Follow-up and Outcomes of Retreatment in an Expanded 50-Patient Single-Center Phase II Prospective Trial of (177)Lu-PSMA-617 Theranostics in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. J Nucl Med. 2020;61(6):857-65. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.119.236414
- Hofman MS, Emmett L, Sandhu S, et al. [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 versus cabazitaxel in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (TheraP): a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet. 2021;397(10276):797-804 (in English). doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00237-3
- Hofman MS. Long-Term Follow-up and Outcomes of Retreatment in an Expanded 50-Patient Single-Center Phase II Prospective Trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 Theranostics in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. J Nucl Med. 2020;61(6):857-65. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.119.236414
- Sartor O, de Bono J, Chi KN, et al. Lutetium-177-PSMA-617 for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(12):1091-103. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2107322
- Morris MJ, Castellano D, Herrmann K, et al. (177)Lu-PSMA-617 versus a change of androgen receptor pathway inhibitor therapy for taxane-naive patients with progressive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PSMAfore): a phase 3, randomised, controlled trial. Lancet. 2024;404(10459):1227-29. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01653-2
- Khalaf DJ, Annala M, Taavitsainen S, et al. Optimal sequencing of enzalutamide and abiraterone acetate plus prednisone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 2, crossover trial. Lancet Oncol. 2019;20(12):1730-79. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(19)30688-6
- Chi KN, Saad F, Parulekar WR, et al. CCTG PR21: A randomized phase II study of [177lu]lu-PSMA-617 verus docetaxel in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and PSMA-positive disease (NCT04663997). JCO. 2022;40(Suppl. 16):TPS5110-P5110. doi: 10.1200/jco.2022.40.16_suppl.tps5110
- Hammer S, Schlicker A, Zitzmann-Kolbe S, et al. Darolutamide Potentiates the Antitumor Efficacy of a PSMA-targeted Thorium-227 Conjugate by a Dual Mode of Action in Prostate Cancer Models. Clin Cancer Res. 2021;27(15):4367-38. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-0342
- Emmett L, Subramaniam S, Crumbaker M, et al. Overall survival and quality of life with [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 plus enzalutamide versus enzalutamide alone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (ENZA-p): secondary outcomes from a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2025;26(3):291-9 (in English). doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(25)00009-9
- Azad A, Bressel M, Tan H, et al. LBA66 UpFrontPSMA: A randomised phase II study of sequential 177Lu-PSMA-617 and docetaxel (D) versus docetaxel in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Annals of Oncology. 2024;35: S1255-156. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2024.08.2309
- Eapen RS, Buteau JP, Jackson P, et al. Administering [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 Prior to Radical Prostatectomy in Men with High-risk Localised Prostate Cancer (LuTectomy): A Single-centre, Single-arm, Phase 1/2 Study. Eur Urol. 2024;85(3):217-26 (in English). doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2023.08.026
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Accessed: 16.09.2025.
- Носов Д.А., Волкова М.И., Гладков О.А., и др. Рак предстательной железы. Практические рекомендации RUSSCO, часть 1.2. Злокачественные опухоли. 2024;14(3s2):242-69 [Nosov DA, Volkova MI, Gladkov OA, et al. Rak predstatel’noi zhelezy. Prakticheskie rekomendatsii RUSSCO, chast’ 1.2. Zlokachestvennye opukholi. 2024;14(3s2):242-69 (in Russian)].
- Fizazi K, Gillessen S, ESMO Guidelines Committee. Electronic address: clinicalguidelines@esmo.org. Updated treatment recommendations for prostate cancer from the ESMO Clinical Practice Guideline considering treatment intensification and use of novel systemic agents. Ann Oncol. 2023;34(6):557-63. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.02.015
- Lowrance W, Dreicer R, Jarrard DF, et al. Updates to Advanced Prostate Cancer: AUA/SUO Guideline (2023). J Urol. 2023;209(6):1082-100. doi: 10.1097/ju.0000000000003452
- Cornford P, Tilki D, van den Bergh R.C.N, et al. EAU – EANM – ESTRO – ESUR – ISUP – SIOG Guidelines on Prostate Cancer. Available at: https://d56bochluxqnz.cloudfront.net/documents/full-guideline/EAU-EANM-ESTRO-ESUR-ISUP-SIOG-Guidelines-on-Prostate-Cancer-2025_updated.pdf. Accessed: 29.09.2025.
- NCCN clinical practice guidelines Prostate Cancer v. 2.2026 – sept 15, 2025. Available at: https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/prostate.pdf. Accessed: 29.09.2025.
- Kratochwil C, Fendler WP, Eiber M, et al. Joint EANM/SNMMI procedure guideline for the use of (177)Lu-labeled PSMA-targeted radioligand-therapy ((177)Lu-PSMA-RLT). Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2023;50(9):2830-85. doi: 10.1007/s00259-023-06255-8
- Mirzaei S, Schweighofer-Zwink G, Ofner H, et al. Use of (177)Lu prostate-specific membrane antigen therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: Joint statement of the Austrian Society of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics and the Austrian Society of Urology and Andrology. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2025;137(Suppl. 4):157-66. doi: 10.1007/s00508-025-02544-4
- Kim J, Lee S, Kim D, et al. Combination of [(18)F]FDG and [(18)F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT predicts tumour aggressiveness at staging and biochemical failure postoperatively in patients with prostate cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2024;51(6): 1763-72 (in English). doi: 10.1007/s00259-023-06585-7
- Bian L, Li P, Wang X, et al. Dual-Tracer 18 F-FDG and 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT Imaging of Heterogeneous Phenotypes of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer for Predicting Response to Novel Hormone Therapy. Clin Nucl Med. 2025;50(2): 143-4. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000005587
- Schuchardt C, Zhang J, Kulkarni HR, et al. Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Radioligand Therapy Using (177)Lu-PSMA I&T and (177)Lu-PSMA-617 in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Comparison of Safety, Biodistribution, and Dosimetry. J Nucl Med. 2022;63(8):1199-207. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.121.262713
- Mair C, Warwitz B, Fink K, et al. Radiation exposure after 177Lu-DOTATATE and 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. Ann Nucl Med. 2018;32(7):499-502. doi: 10.1007/s12149-018-1264-x
- Handayani W, Chantadisai M, Phromphao B, et al. Comparative post-therapeutic dosimetry between 2D planar-based and hybrid-based methods for personalized Lu-177 treatment. Ann Nucl Med. 2024;38(11):884-93. doi: 10.1007/s12149-024-01960-2
- Kafka M, Horninger A, di Santo G, et al. Real-world Outcomes and Predictive Biomarkers for (177)Lutetium Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Ligand Treatment in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A European Association of Urology Young Academic Urologists Prostate Cancer Working Group Multi-institutional Observational Study. Eur Urol Oncol. 2024;7(3):421-2. doi: 10.1016/j.euo.2023.07.018
- Hartrampf PE, Bundschuh RA, Weinzierl FX, et al. mCRPC patients with PSA fluctuations under radioligand therapy have comparable survival benefits relative to patients with sustained PSA decrease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2022;49(13): 4727-75. doi: 10.1007/s00259-022-05910-w
- Gafita A, Djaileb L, Rauscher I, et al. Response Evaluation Criteria in PSMA PET/CT (RECIP 1.0) in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer. Radiology. 2023;308(1):e222148. doi: 10.1148/radiol.222148
- Yordanova A, Linden P, Hauser S, et al. Outcome and safety of rechallenge [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2019;46(5):1073-00 (in English). doi: 10.1007/s00259-018-4222-x
- Santo G, Di Santo G, Sviridenko A, et al. Efficacy and safety of rechallenge with [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T radioligand therapy in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2024;52(1):354-65 (in English). doi: 10.1007/s00259-024-06905-5
- Rosar F, Schuler J, Burgard C, et al. Efficacy and safety of rechallenge [(177)Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 RLT after initial partial remission in patients with mCRPC: evaluation of a prospective registry (REALITY study). Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2024;51(13):4151-12 (in English). doi: 10.1007/s00259-024-068s25-4
Supplementary files

