Prostate Cancer
Michael J. Morris, MD, Prostate Cancer Section Head of Genitourinary Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Caner Center and his theranostics treatment research
ReMission Foundation, with the support of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is pleased to support Michael J. Morris MD, Prostate Cancer Section Head of Genitourinary Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and his prostate cancer research. Many people with high-risk prostate cancer who have surgery or radiation therapy will experience a recurrence of their disease. An intensive research effort is currently underway, led by Dr. Morris, to reduce the impact of aggressive disease, which is expected to cause more than 33,000 deaths this year.
A novel approach to enhancing treatment targets a molecule specific to prostate cells (prostate specific membrane antigen, or PSMA) to illuminate where a patient’s disease is located. Called PSMA PET imaging, the treatment can visualize residual prostate cancer cells located throughout the body. The result is that patients undergoing PSMA PET scanning can have their cancer more effectively staged and can thus be treated more accurately. Based on clinical trials led by Dr. Morris, who has been a national leader in PSMA-directed research, the FDA approved this groundbreaking imaging tool in May 2021.
PSMA targeting is a form of therapeutic-diagnostic therapy (or "Theranostics") and the technique promises a paradigm shift in care, not only for diagnosis and treatment planning but also for treatment itself. Because the PSMA imaging agent selectively homes in on prostate cells anywhere in the body, it can be combined with a radioactive molecules to specifically target prostate cancer cells with a radiation payload. Patients with metastatic prostate cancer who underwent this type of Theranostics had delayed disease progression and prolongation of life. The FDA approved this transformative approach in March 2022.
Dr. Morris and his team are developing the next generation of drugs, exploring combination therapies, and investigating how these therapies behave depending on a person’s genetic profile. This research will allow for the adjustment of therapies to target a patient’s individual disease. To learn more about Dr. Morris and his prostate cancer research please visit his bio here