(UroToday.com) The 2026 ASTRO Multidisciplinary Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Symposium featured an access to therapy and addressing unmet needs session and a presentation by Dr. Phillip Koo discussing increasing access to radiopharmaceutical therapy. Dr. Koo started his presentation by highlighting several features as to why access matters:
- There is a proven benefit to radioligand therapy, and indications are expanding
- The demand for radiopharmaceuticals is accelerating faster than the available systems
- Access to radiopharmaceuticals determines the real-world impact
Dr. Koo notes that the question for the radioligand therapy plan version 1.0 was “can we deliver?” Currently, there are more than 790 active Pluvicto treatment sites in the United States, with 9 of 10 eligible patients estimated to be living within 30 miles of the current active treatment sites:
Now, the question for the radioligand therapy plan version 2.0 is “Are we delivering well?” Indeed, the nationwide PET and manufacturing footprint has already been established, and radiation oncology is already delivering complex therapy; the challenge of delivering therapy has evolved.
Dr. Koo notes that access to radioligand therapy is not necessarily associated with equity in receipt of care. There are several potential limitations to equity, including (i) the community versus academic divide, (ii) referral and awareness gaps, and (iii) geographic and socioeconomic variability. As we move forward, quality and safety remain of the utmost importance: training and experience matter, and establishing standardized pathways is crucial. Ultimately, safety protects the patient and the field of radioligand therapy:
Dr. Koo concluded his presentation discussing increasing access to radiopharmaceutical therapy with a call to action:
- We must expand capacity responsibly
- We must build quality alongside scalability
- We must lead before variability defines the field
Presented by: Phillip J. Koo, MD, FACS, Chief Medical Officer, The Prostate Cancer Foundation
Written by: Zachary Klaassen, MD, MSc – Urologic Oncologist, Associate Professor of Urology, Georgia Cancer Center, Wellstar MCG Health, @zklaassen_md on Twitter during the 2026 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Multidisciplinary Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Symposium, Palm Desert, CA, Tues, Feb 17 – Wed, Feb 18, 2026.