After having lutetium therapy
Lutetium therapy for neuroendocrine tumours
Lutetium therapy is a treatment called a targeted radionuclide therapy for a group of rare cancers called neuroendocrine tumours. The treatment targets cancer cells and gives a high amount (dose) of radiation directly to the tumour.
What happens after the procedure
After your treatment, you may stay on an inpatient ward in our nuclear medicine rooms overnight.
On the morning after your treatment, you return to the nuclear medicine department. We do some scans to check that the treatment has been done as planned. These scans may take up to 2 hours.
After the scans, you should be able to go home when the level of radiation in your body is low enough. A member of our nuclear medicine physics team:
- measures your radiation levels
- explains any precautions that you need to follow when you leave hospital
These precautions reduce the amount of radiation to other people who you come into contact with after the procedure. We confirm what you need to do in writing.
After leaving hospital
Here are some tips after leaving hospital:
Do
- follow the advice that we have given you about radiation precautions
- keep the paperwork about radiation precautions somewhere safe, in case you need to refer to it
- go for a blood test every 2 weeks, for 8 to 10 weeks, to check how the lutetium therapy has affected your blood cells, kidneys and liver
- use reliable contraception for at least 6 months, if there is a risk that having sex could result in a pregnancy
We arrange for you to have the blood tests at a GP surgery or your local hospital.
Your clinical nurse specialist contacts you regularly after the treatment. This helps our team to monitor your blood profile after lutetium therapy. We can then take any extra measures that may be needed.
Returning to work
When you decide to return to work depends on the type of job that you do. Your consultant and clinical nurse specialist talk to you about this.
Useful information and support
The organisations listed in this section can give you more information and support:
Neuroendocrine Cancer UK
This charity supports individuals and families affected by neuroendocrine cancer. It offers a range of information resources and support services.
Neuroendocrine cancer helpline: 0800 434 6476 (Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 4pm)
Website: www.neuroendocrinecancer.org.uk
Macmillan Cancer Support
This is the UK's leading cancer care charity and gives support, advice and information to people affected by cancer.
Macmillan support line: 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week, 8am to 8pm)
Website: www.macmillan.org.uk
Resource number: 4026/VER3
Last reviewed: April 2024
Next review due: April 2027
A list of sources is available on request.
