Key takeaways:
- Radioligand therapy (RLT) delivers targeted treatment directly to cancer cells
- The number of RLT treatment sites has expanded about sevenfold in the U.S.
- Common questions about RLT treatment answered
A cancer diagnosis used to mean choosing between the latest treatment and receiving care close to home. That's starting to change with radioligand therapy (RLT), a treatment that pairs a cancer-seeking molecule with a radioactive particle to deliver targeted treatment directly to cancer cells. RLT is now a mainstream treatment included in NCCN guidelines and no longer limited to academic centers or late-stage therapy, with treatment sites within 30 miles for 90% of eligible patients.1,2
"Radioligand therapy works like a tracking dog following a scent. We attach a radioactive particle to a molecule trained to recognize one specific target: a marker found predominantly on certain cancer cells," said Dr Nabila Lehachi Waheed, DABR, Medical Director, Radiation Oncologist at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Fort Worth, Texas, a partner of OneOncology community oncology network. "Once it's in the bloodstream, the molecule follows that target straight to the cancer cells and marks the spot, releasing radiation while limiting the impact on healthy cells nearby."
Answering patients' biggest questions about RLT
Waheed said eligible patients tend to ask the same three questions when they first learn about RLT: Will it work for me? Is it safe? What will my life look like during and after treatment?
"They ask how the treatment finds the cancer cells, how much radiation exposure they and their families will face, and how it will affect their day-to-day life—things like fatigue, nausea, and blood counts," she said.
Many of the answers come back to how precisely the treatment works. RLT is designed to find a specific marker on cancer cells and deliver radiation directly to them. This approach may help limit damage to nearby healthy tissue, although side effects can still occur. Patients and caregivers should ask the care team if they are eligible, what to expect, including possible side effects, safety steps at home, and who to contact with questions.
Waheed walks through each question with patients before they commit to treatment—a level of detail she said matters as much as the science itself.
Advanced RLT treatment, closer to home
Novartis brought the first RLT to market in 2018. Since then, nearly 50,000 patients have been treated, and the number of RLT treatment sites in the U.S. has grown roughly sevenfold—expanding access to patients who need it most.3
Providing this treatment in a community setting means eligible patients have the option to receive advanced, personalized cancer care close to home. It can be woven into a broader treatment plan that includes surgery, systemic therapy, and external radiation, all coordinated in one place.
That matters to Waheed and drove her to become the first physician in Tarrant County to offer RLT to her patients.
"Where you live shouldn't determine the quality of cancer care you receive," Waheed said. "These treatments let patients benefit from options personalized to the biology of their cancer without leaving their families and support systems behind. Innovation only matters if patients can access it."
As RLT continues to expand beyond academic centers and is researched for use in more types of cancer, Waheed sees it as part of a broader shift—one that keeps patients closer to the treatment they need and the people who support them through it.
Dr Nabila Lehachi Waheed has served as a paid consultant to Novartis. This article was developed and sponsored by Novartis.
References
- Data on file. Patient location. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; 2025.
- Data on file. Pluvicto desert analysis. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; 2025.
- Data on file. Pluvicto and Lutathera site opening summary. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; 2026.
