When prostate cancer progresses despite standard treatments, it can be difficult to stay optimistic and see the remaining options. Fortunately, there is a new treatment that brings hope: radioligand therapy, also called Lutetium-177 therapy, is a promising option. It serves as an additional approach to slow disease progression and improve quality of life.
In this article, you will learn about:
- What radioligand therapy is and how it works;
- Who this treatment is for and when it is recommended;
- Its benefits and limitations;
- Access to the treatment in Canada;
- The challenges to making it available to more patients.
Medical review by uro-oncologist Dr. Nawar Hanna, December 2025
What exactly is radioligand therapy?
Imagine a treatment that can recognize cancer cells, attach to them, and damage them while sparing surrounding healthy tissue as much as possible. This is exactly what radioligand therapy does.
It works through two main components:
- A molecule targeting PSMA, a protein highly expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells;
- A small therapeutic dose of radiation, Lutetium-177, attached to this molecule.
Once injected into the body, this “smart missile” delivers radiation directly to the cancer cells, damaging them from within. This targeted action helps limit damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Who is this treatment for?
Radioligand therapy is mainly intended for men living with metastatic prostate cancer, meaning the cancer has spread beyond the prostate to distant areas of the body.
Specifically, it is recommended when the disease progresses despite hormone therapy—which blocks the production or action of testosterone, the hormone that “feeds” prostate cancer cells—and chemotherapy.
In these cases, the cancer is referred to as castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer because it continues to progress even when testosterone levels are very low.
This treatment is therefore not a first-line therapy but an additional option when other approaches are no longer effective. For some patients, it can mean more time, less pain, and sometimes an improved quality of life despite the disease.
What you need to know
It is important to note that radioligand therapy does not cure prostate cancer. However, studies have shown that it can:
- Slow disease progression;
- Relieve certain symptoms;
- Extend patient survival.
Thus, it is a treatment that can offer additional time, often accompanied by improved comfort and daily life.
Improved availability, but still uneven in Canada
Although Lutetium-177 therapy is approved by Health Canada, access remains variable from province to province. Currently, it is publicly funded in six provinces: Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. Inclusion on provincial drug formularies allows more Canadians to access radioligand therapy, reflecting its growing recognition as an important addition to the treatment options for advanced prostate cancer.
Efforts are underway to have this therapy recognized as an exceptional-access drug and made available in all provinces across Canada.
Several factors explain the still-limited availability:
- The high cost of the drug and the equipment required to administer it;
- The shortage of nuclear medicine resources, which remain underdeveloped in some regions;
- Provincial evaluation processes, which can be lengthy despite Health Canada approval.
Conclusion
Radioligand therapy represents a significant advancement for men living with advanced prostate cancer.
Although it is not yet available nationwide, scientific progress and advocacy efforts suggest broader access in the coming years. The PROCURE team continues to monitor this field closely, inform patients, and advocate for equitable access to all treatments that can improve the lives of men affected by this disease.
At PROCURE, we believe that better understanding leads to better living with the disease. Our professionals are here to support you and answer your questions, seven days a week. Contact us at 1-855-899-2873 or visit our website procure.ca