Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Section Chief Steve Cho, MD discussed his work in the growing field of theranostics for an article in UW Health’s Advances newsletter.
By utilizing radioactive drugs that are attracted to specific receptors on the surface of tumor cells, theranostics researchers can map cancer sites and deliver treatment directly to the cancerous cells. This approach is especially significant for treating patients whose cancer has spread throughout the body, as it can treat multiple cancer sites simultaneously.
Dr. Cho employs theranostics in his clinical work, specializing in treating patients with targeted radiopharmaceutical drugs. In his research, he is investigating how treatment doses can be optimized to limit toxicity to patients while still effectively treating tumors.
Speaking to the impact that theranostics can make for patients, Dr. Cho shared, “If you can extend someone’s quality of life for several years so that they can see their kids graduate from school or see them get married, this makes an important and deep impact on their life and the people around them, which I think is tremendously gratifying.”
Learn more about Dr. Cho’s work in the UW Health article.