John Grim fought prostate cancer for six years. He did radiation. He did hormone therapy. He did chemotherapy.

It felt like a losing battle. The West York man lost 50 pounds. He felt weak and exhausted. The cancer spread to his bones, causing a tumor in his spine. At that time, a prostate cancer screening test, which measures the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood, showed his level at 491. A normal PSA level for a man John’s age is generally under 4.

“I didn’t think I had another six months to live,” says John, 66.

Then his WellSpan doctors offered him a chance to try a radioactive medication called Pluvicto, designed for patients like John who have prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of their body.

“This is not a cure for cancer,” says Dr. Navesh Sharma, a WellSpan radiation oncologist. “But it can help some men live longer and slow the growth of their tumors. It also can improve the quality of life for these men.”

John says that is just what the treatment did for him, helping him feel better and keeping his cancer at bay for almost 10 months.

“I felt better within a week,” he said. “Within a month, I felt great. I started regaining strength and weight. I can live a normal life at this point.”

How the treatment works

John received a targeted radioactive medicine used to treat a particular type of prostate cancer: metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer.

“Pluvicto is targeted because it finds and attaches itself to a particular type of prostate cancer cell,” says Dr. Sharma, who is also medical director for radiation oncology at WellSpan. “It is radioactive because it uses radiation to harm and kill those cells.”

The medication is designed for patients whose prostate cancer has spread and is not responding to other treatments. Patients must have tried hormone therapy and chemotherapy before receiving this treatment.

The drug is given six times every six weeks, through an infusion via an intravenous line placed in a vessel in the arm. The infusion lasts only about a minute, but its impact requires the patient to make some temporary lifestyle changes afterward. Because the medication is radioactive, patients must stay 3 feet away from other people for three days, sleeping in a separate bedroom and using a separate bathroom.

John’s results

John, who is the first patient to complete the full course of infusions at WellSpan York Hospital, saw his PSA level drop to 22 during his treatment. He experienced some nausea as a side effect but says otherwise he felt good.

John Grim, seated, and his Pluvicto treatment team.

He gained more than 30 pounds back and feels more energized. He has been able to continue to work full time at his business, an RV and trailer center in Jacobus. He also is enjoying time with his wife, and they are looking forward to the birth of their first grandchild this summer. 

Studies show that men who received Pluvicto lived a median of 15 months, about four months longer than those who just received standard therapy. About 30% saw their tumors shrink or disappear, compared with just 2% who just received standard therapy. Also, half of the patients who received the treatment did not have their cancer progress for almost nine months. That is what John experienced. He now is exploring additional treatments.

“This is a new tool that allows us to help our patients live their best life, which is what we want for everyone,” Dr. Sharma says.

For more information on our urologic cancer care, go here.