Prostate cancer: The treatment that identifies cancer cells and destroys them from within

In recent decades, there have been enormous developments in cancer treatment. In the past, most patients received chemotherapy, a broad treatment that also damages healthy cells, but for several years now medicine has been moving toward personalized treatments. One of the latest innovations in these fields is radioligand therapy (RLT).

This is an advanced technology that combines radiation with precise molecular biology. Instead of irradiating the affected area from the outside, in this case, a unique substance is introduced into the body that knows how to specifically identify the cancer cells. This substance carries with it a small radioactive particle, and when it reaches the cancer cell, it binds to it and releases radiation directly inside the cell, leading to its destruction.

The great advantage of this method is precision: The radiation is not “randomly spread,” but works only when it encounters the cancer cell. Thus, the tumor can be precisely targeted while preserving as much healthy surrounding tissue as possible.

In metastatic prostate cancer, tumor cells carry on their surface a receptor called PSMA. Thanks to ligands, small molecules that accurately identify this receptor, radiation can be directed straight to the cancer cells, with minimal harm to healthy tissue.

Based on this principle, one of the most innovative treatments in the field was developed, already approved by the FDA in the United States and the EMA in Europe. Studies have shown that it not only prolongs patients’ lives but also eases disease symptoms and improves the quality of life for patients with advanced prostate cancer who no longer respond to standard treatments.

An important advantage of this method is its ability to cope with multiple metastases – that is, tumors that have spread to various organs in the body. While conventional treatments focus on just one area, here it is a biological mechanism that identifies the receptor wherever cancer cells are hiding. This opens the possibility of effective treatment even in particularly complex situations.

This type of treatment is especially suitable for cancers in which a “clear address” can be identified on the cancer cell – a unique receptor that appears mainly in malignant tissue. The method has also been tested in neuroendocrine tumors and is currently being researched for other types of cancer, such as gastrointestinal, pancreatic, lung, and more. As biological research progresses and new markers are identified that characterize cancer cells, the scope of use of this technology expands.

Another important element is personalization: Before beginning treatment, special imaging is performed to check whether the tumor expresses the correct receptor. This ensures that treatment is given only to those who are truly expected to benefit from it. In addition, research is currently being conducted to examine its combination with hormonal, biological, or immunotherapeutic treatments. The idea is to create a winning combination that will produce a deeper and longer-lasting response, especially in cases of stubborn or complex cancer.

In conclusion, this type of treatment can be likened to a “guided missile.” It reflects the meeting point between a deep biological understanding of the disease, precise chemical and radioactive tools, and clinical technology designed to act on distant stages of the tumor (metastases). It is an expression of medicine that does not only ask “where is the tumor located” – but also “what are its biological characteristics and how can it be precisely targeted while minimizing damage to other tissues.” As research develops and biological understanding expands, it can be expected that this treatment will become further established as a component of the leading therapeutic strategies of modern oncology.