Opinion: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Theranostics, A Personalised Tool For Cancer Management

Theranostics permits highly personalised cancer care with the ability to locate tumours precisely, and simultaneously treat them in a targeted manner. 

Representational image.

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By Dr Swagat Dash

Theranostics is an advanced approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment that combines therapeutics and diagnostics into an integrated strategy. This permits highly personalised cancer care with the ability to locate tumours precisely, and simultaneously treat them in a targeted manner. Even as its benefits are gradually gaining recognition, here are five interesting aspects of theranostics that might surprise you:

1. Theranostics Works Like A ‘Search-And-Destroy’ Mission

At the core of theranostics is its singular capability to play the roles of both scout and warrior. By utilising specially designed radiopharmaceuticals, theranostics first detects cancerous cells in the body with great accuracy. Once a target has been identified, the same or a similar agent is used to deliver radiation or drugs directly to the tumour cells, sparing healthy tissue. This dual-action mechanism makes theranostics a powerful tool in fighting cancers that are hard to find or treat with traditional means. For instance, in prostate cancer, theranostic agents like PSMA can focus on tumour cells for the detection and destruction of those cells.

2. It Holds Hope For Patients Suffering from Advanced-Stage Cancers

Advanced- and metastatic-stage cancers leave very few options for patients. Such cases particularly stand to benefit with theranostics because it can effectively handle the spread of tumours into multiple sites. Its capability to precisely target cancer cells minimises systemic side-effects associated with traditional chemotherapy or radiation, and maximises therapeutic benefits. For example, in neuroendocrine tumours, theranostics with radiolabelled somatostatin analogs has been highly successful in improving survival rates and quality of life.

3. It Is The Future Of Personalised Cancer Care

Cancer is not one kind of disease. Theranostics recognises this fact and offers a tailor-made approach for each patient. This is done by using molecular imaging and biomarkers to determine what makes an individual’s cancer unique. This allows oncologists to predict how a given patient will respond to a particular therapy and adjust the plan of treatment accordingly. This means a personalised approach that not only is effective but also prevents unnecessary treatments, thus saving time, costs, and effort for patients.

4. Theranostics Is Closing The Gap Between Imaging And Therapy

As opposed to traditional therapy, theranostics integrates diagnosis and treatment, which eliminates delay and inefficiencies; a prime example here being the theranostic pair of Gallium-68 and Lutetium-177. Used within the management of neuroendocrine tumours — prostate among other cancers — radiopharmaceuticals first have Gallium-68 bonded to them for diagnostic purposes in PET imaging to ensure their sites are located. They are then bombarded with Lutetium-177 for effective lethal targeted radiation.

5. Redefining Success in Cancer Treatment: The Theranostics Approach

Success in traditional cancer treatment is measured in terms of tumour shrinkage or elimination. Theranostics, however, has brought a paradigm shift by emphasising results such as reduction in tumour activity, control of metastatic spread, and improvement in well-being of the patient. The molecular imaging that goes with theranostics is used to monitor the response of the tumour to the therapy in real time, allowing the oncologists to make rapid data-driven decisions.

A Game-Changer

Theranostics is a game-changer in the world of oncology. It is changing the way we diagnose, treat, and monitor this complex disease by offering a personalised, precise, and efficient approach to cancer care. As research and innovation in theranostics continue to advance, the promise of better outcomes and improved quality of life for cancer patients becomes an inspiring reality.

The writer is HOD & Senior Consultant-Nuclear Medicine, Sarvodaya Hospital, Sector-8, Faridabad.

[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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