# Lutetium-177 radioligand therapy

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/lu177-radioligand-therapy/  
OnCo record `lu177-radioligand-therapy` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Cancer-seeking molecules carrying the radioactive metal lutetium-177, which delivers short-range radiation to tumours it binds; approved for neuroendocrine tumours and prostate cancer.

## Summary

Lutetium-177 emits beta particles with a range of a few millimetres and gamma rays that allow imaging, making it the workhorse isotope of radioligand therapy. Lutathera (Lu-177 dotatate, approved 2018) targets somatostatin receptors on neuroendocrine tumours, and Pluvicto (Lu-177 PSMA-617, approved 2022) targets PSMA on prostate cancer; both improved outcomes in randomised trials. Supply of no-carrier-added lutetium, dosimetry and combinations with earlier lines of therapy are the current frontiers.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Also known as: 177Lu; Lu-177; Lutetium-177
- Principle: A peptide or small molecule with high affinity for a tumour receptor is chelated to Lu-177 and infused; bound molecules irradiate the cell and its neighbours over the isotope's 6.6-day half-life.
- Since: 2018
- Strengths: Randomised survival benefit in two diseases; Companion PET imaging selects patients; Tolerable toxicity profile
- Limitations: Isotope supply and logistics; Marrow and kidney dose limits; Resistance and heterogeneous uptake

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutetium-177
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutetium-177

## Connected records

- cancers: [Neuroendocrine tumours](https://onco.cc/cancers/neuroendocrine/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/)
- fronts: [Radiopharmaceuticals & Theranostics](https://onco.cc/fronts/radiopharma/)
- technologies: [Radioligand dosimetry](https://onco.cc/technologies/radioligand-dosimetry/), [Radioligand therapy (beta emitters)](https://onco.cc/technologies/radioligand-therapy/), [Therapeutic isotope supply chain (Mo-99, Lu-177, Ac-225)](https://onco.cc/technologies/therapy-isotope-supply-chain/)
- targets: [PSMA](https://onco.cc/targets/psma/), [Somatostatin receptor 2](https://onco.cc/targets/sstr2/)
- drugs: [Lutetium-177 dotatate](https://onco.cc/drugs/lutathera/), [Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan](https://onco.cc/drugs/pluvicto/)
- trials: [A Dose Escalation and Expansion Study of [177Lu]Lu-SN201 in Participants With Advanced Cancer](https://onco.cc/trials/nct06184035/), [A Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Dosimetry, and Anti-tumor Activity of Ga-68-NGUL / Lu-177-DGUL in Patients With Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Refractory to Standard Therapy](https://onco.cc/trials/nct05547061/)
- terms: [What follows what in castration-resistant prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/terms/prostate-crpc-sequencing/)
- institutions: [Curanosticum Wiesbaden-Frankfurt](https://onco.cc/institutions/curanosticum/)
- people: [Richard P. Baum](https://onco.cc/people/richard-baum/)

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