I'm interested in conversations about and I want to talk about
Know exactly what you want?
Show search

Notification

Error

Lutetium 177 treatment in Germany

User
Posted 23 Feb 2023 at 23:54

Hi my husband has advanced prostate cancer and we have exhausted all treatments on NHS. We are now exploring Lutetium 177 privately, we have no insurance so self funding. Has anyone recently received treatment in Germany, it appears much cheaper than the London clinic. We have been told that NHS in England and Scotland will not be making this treatment  available on the NHS in the near future. Thanks Fiona

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 18:26
Private hospitals usually have 3 price lists -

1. treatment passed to them by NHS trusts (because of long waiting lists, etc) are charged at what it would have cost the NHS to do it themselves

2. Price for self-funding patients

3. Price for health-insurance providers

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 23 Feb 2023 at 23:54

Hi my husband has advanced prostate cancer and we have exhausted all treatments on NHS. We are now exploring Lutetium 177 privately, we have no insurance so self funding. Has anyone recently received treatment in Germany, it appears much cheaper than the London clinic. We have been told that NHS in England and Scotland will not be making this treatment  available on the NHS in the near future. Thanks Fiona

Show Most Thanked Posts
User
Posted 25 Feb 2023 at 16:25
Very few members have had Lu 177 and those that have in various countries, so not entirely surprised at lack of replies with regard to this type of treatment in Germany. As you will doubtless have established, there are a number of hospitals offering this treatment and Germany has a good record of providing advanced treatment. (I had rare RT treatment in Germany and my UK second opinion who had experience of German Hospitals had been impressed by them). My understanding is that the cost will vary most depending on the number of infusions a patient is given but also local hospital costs, so you would need to check this with several of the hospitals and seek opinions on their reputations. It would certainly be very expensive regardless. The effectiveness of this treatment seems to vary considerably and NICE considered it was not cost effective, although this was due for a review in January and is currently underway. I understand you are desperate for a treatment to buy more time having been told there are no other possibilities. A patient has first to establish he is suitable for this form of treatment as you are most probably aware.

I would be less concerned between which of a number of leading German Hospitals to choose between as to how many infusions were to be given but how successful the treatment itself might be, weighed against the total experience and cost

Barry
User
Posted 25 Feb 2023 at 16:42

Have you had a PSMA scan in the UK yet? It is worth paying to find out if he is PSMA+ before committing to the cost of Lu177 overseas 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 25 Feb 2023 at 23:25

Thankyou, we are awaiting an appointment  at the London clinic to have the Pet Scan hopefully next week. We will then consider costs,if my husband is suitable, between the London clinic and The Helios Klinik in Berlin. Berlin is easy for us to fly to plus my daughter lives 90 minutes from Berlin if we need to stay for an extended time. 
Thanks for your response.

User
Posted 09 Apr 2023 at 20:07

Hi,

Mt Alvernia hospital is offering Leutitium 177 in Guildford, am going there for my PSMA/PET Scan this coming week. It's private but referred by my Royal Surrey Oncologist

User
Posted 10 Apr 2023 at 00:09

Hi my husband has now gone privately for Lu177 at the Wellington Hospital in London. He had the first treatment last Thursday and apart from being very tired has had no other side effects. I hope your scan is successful and you can start the treatment,

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 01:23

How much are the treatments? What do you think will be the total cost?

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 02:15

The cost is £12200 per treatment and £2600 for the PET scan. We are hopeful that 3 sessions will be enough , but have budgeted for 6. We expect a total cost of £88000 that includes 3 PET scans and our travelling expenses.

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 07:21

What benefit are you expecting to gain from the treatment? What extension to life have you been told is likely?

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 17:47

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

The cost is £12200 per treatment and £2600 for the PET scan. We are hopeful that 3 sessions will be enough , but have budgeted for 6. We expect a total cost of £88000 that includes 3 PET scans and our travelling expenses.

I hope this works out for you, that is a lot of money to spend but if it works well it may eventually become an option on the NHS, so thank you.

Interesting that your self funded scan cost £2.6k, my insurance company funded scan just cost £4.1k.

Thanks Chris 

 

 

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 18:26
Private hospitals usually have 3 price lists -

1. treatment passed to them by NHS trusts (because of long waiting lists, etc) are charged at what it would have cost the NHS to do it themselves

2. Price for self-funding patients

3. Price for health-insurance providers

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 18:29

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

What benefit are you expecting to gain from the treatment? What extension to life have you been told is likely?

If it works, Lu177 extends life by about 4 months on average. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 07 Jun 2023 at 23:35

An internet search reveals that a growing number of facilities in the UK are offering Lu177, albeit only privately. I believe the reason why it has not so far been offered within the NHS is because NICE consider the benefit to cost does not justify it. This means that although there is variance in cost between those providing it in Europe, those without insurance might find it difficult to afford. It is available in certain countries at much reduced cost but a patient needs to satisfy himself that the facility offering it is reputable. I am neither recommending this hospital nor casting aspersions on it but just use this as an example. Nevertheless, it is still an expensive treatment if a lower cost one and the cost of travel and accommodation has to be taken into account. https://www.medicarespots.com/lu177-psma-therapy/

 

Edited by member 07 Jun 2023 at 23:36  | Reason: to highlight link

Barry
 
Forum Jump  
©2024 Prostate Cancer UK