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- Alan's story | 177Lutetium PSMA therapy provided me with a treatment option which enabled me to maintain my quality of life
177Lutetium PSMA therapy provided Alan with a treatment option which enabled him to maintain his quality of life
81-year-old, Professor Alan Robins was first diagnosed with prostate cancer aged 69, after being urged by his wife Sheena to see his GP due to urinary incontinence. Following a TURP procedure to remove excess prostate tissue blocking the urethra, he underwent several weeks of radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Alan told us “Towards the end of 2024, my PSA began to rise, and my consultant, Dr Sara Khaksar, explained that the treatments I had been on were no longer working. While chemotherapy was discussed as an option, it was a treatment I hoped to avoid, if possible, due to the potential side effects and impact on my quality of life.”
While having discussions about his wishes with Dr Khaksar, she suggested that he was suitable for ¹⁷⁷Lutetium PSMA therapy a type of Theranostics. This therapy is a targeted treatment for prostate cancer that has spread throughout the body and become resistant to other treatments. The aim of the therapy is to reduce the size and progress of the cancer, ease symptoms and maintain or improve quality of life.
With a background in power generation and aeronautics, Alan was accustomed to a lot of the terminology used to describe this therapy and how it works.
“For me I felt as if I had to do something to combat what was happening, so being able to have this treatment gave me a way to take action which was much less intrusive on my daily life than chemotherapy would have been”.
Alan’s treatment started in October 2024 “I had 6 cycles of treatment - one session every 6 weeks. I’d be in the GenesisCare centre for around 2 – 3 hours in a very comfortable private room where the radiologist would give me the treatment via an injection. I just had to sit back and relax and listen to the radio. If I wanted a coffee or some lunch, the team would bring it to me.
Before leaving the centre, they’d monitor my radiation levels and once they were below a certain threshold I could go home. It was all very easy and comfortable.
For a couple of weeks after each treatment I had to follow some distancing protocols but with just the two of us in the house, it was easy enough to have a separate room and bathroom for a short while.
As a lapsed guitar player, sailor, cyclist, cricket bowler and skier I’ve always liked to stay active, and these days I enjoy doing a lot of cooking, go to tai chi twice a week and play walking football. This treatment didn’t impact my day to day living at all.”
I’ve always liked to stay active and this treatment didn’t impact my day to day living at all.
Alan’s treatment concluded in April 2025 – “When my treatment finished, I had an appointment with a physio who did a series of tests and decided that my normal fitness programme was perfectly adequate but gave me a set of exercises to do if the weather was too bad to get outside.
Alan concludes – “To anyone facing a similar situation and considering your treatment options, I want to reassure you that ¹⁷⁷Lutetium PSMA therapy, if it’s suitable for you, can offer real hope. My experience was positive, and it truly helped me regain a sense of control and normality.
Most importantly, this treatment has allowed me to continue living life to the fullest. I’m still here, making the most of every day, and I hope others can find the same optimism and encouragement in their own journeys.”
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