Health Watch: Groundbreaking prostate cancer treatment now available in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Providence Alaska Medical Center is bringing a breakthrough cancer treatment to the state, offering new hope for men battling advanced prostate cancer.

Pluvicto, a cutting-edge therapy, is designed to specifically target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA+) cancer cells, delivering radiation directly to them while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Until now, Alaskans who qualified for this treatment had to travel out of state, facing added stress and financial burden.

Dr. John Halligan, Director of Radiation Oncology at Providence Cancer Center, explained that Pluvicto functions like a guided missile for cancer cells.

“We actually have an antibody, essentially a targeting mechanism, where an antibody attaches to a prostate cancer cell. It’s attached to a radioactive material called luteum, a molecule...It’s very lethal to the prostate cancer cells and otherwise gives very little exposure to other portions of the body,” he said.

Before Pluvicto arrived in Alaska, patients had to travel every six weeks for several days at a time, undergoing blood tests, receiving the dose, and waiting to ensure no complications before flying home. Now, they can receive treatment locally at Providence Cancer Center.

Pluvicto is administered every six weeks for up to six cycles, depending on how the patient responds and tolerates the treatment. The procedure takes only a few minutes and can be given through IV or infusion.

“When we look at the patients who got Pluvicto, their average survival was pushed out by about four months and the two-year survival was 30%, as opposed to down around 16-18%,” Dr. Halligan said.

With prostate cancer remaining one of the most common and deadly cancers in Alaska and nationwide, this treatment marks a significant advancement in local care. According to Dr. Halligan, in Anchorage, Mat-Su, and the Kenai Peninsula alone, doctors diagnose approximately 400 men per year with prostate cancer.

Now, with Pluvicto available in-state starting in March, Alaskans facing advanced prostate cancer have access to a new option, a new approach, and a new hope closer to home.

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