Theranostics: The future of cancer care

When a patient walks into Loma Linda University Cancer Center for a cancer screening, they may leave with more than just a diagnosis-they could walk out with a personalized treatment plan already underway, thanks to theranostics, a new and cutting-edge approach currently offered exclusively in the region by the Cancer Center.

What is theranostics?

Theranostics is a blend of the words therapeutics and diagnostics, and it represents the next innovation in personalized cancer care. This targeted approach uses nuclear medicine to both detect and destroy cancer cells in the body with precision.

"These are specialized medications that serve a dual purpose: first, they help us pinpoint exactly where the cancer cells are by showing up on a scan. Then, using that same compound, we can deliver targeted treatment directly to those cancer cells," says Eric Peters, MD, a radiologist at Loma Linda University Cancer Center.

How it works

Unlike traditional cancer treatments that may affect healthy cells alongside cancerous ones, theranostics delivers treatment specifically to the cancer cells, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.

The process involves administering a radiopharmaceutical medication intravenously. Once it circulates through the body, it attaches to cancer cells, making them visible through imaging and allowing clinicians to deliver medication precisely to those areas.

"For prostate cancer patients, the process is fast," Peters says. "The scan takes just a few minutes, and follow-up treatments are short but powerful in fighting the disease."

Why it matters

One of the key advantages of theranostics is its ability to confirm the presence and location of cancer before initiating treatment.

Peters explains that the true strength of this approach lies in combining diagnostics and therapy, giving doctors precise knowledge of where the cancer is before treatment even begins.

For patients who have exhausted conventional treatment options, theranostics offers new hope.

"No other therapy has previously been able to treat certain cancers in this way, and ongoing research is now pushing the approach forward-not just as a last resort, but as a potential first line of defense," Peters says.

A growing role in cancer care

Theranostics is generally better tolerated than chemotherapy or radiation because it's targeted, minimally invasive, and most patients experience just mild and manageable side effects.

While currently used in cancers like metastatic prostate and thyroid, theranostics is being studied for a broader range of cancers. Clinical trials and ongoing research suggest that its application may soon expand to more diagnoses that develops a new era of cancer treatment that's personalized, efficient, and highly effective.

Take the first step

When you are diagnosed with cancer, you want treatment from an expert team you can trust. To find out if you are a candidate for theranostics treatment, book a consultation with Loma Linda University Cancer Center. For more information, call 1-800-78-CANCER (1-800-782-2623).