Nuclear medicine technologies for cancer treatment introduced in Kazakhstan
At a press conference on Friday, Dr. Aigul Sadoukasova, the chief nuclear medicine specialist at the Ministry of Health and head of the Nuclear Medicine Center at the Presidential Medical Center’s Hospital, shared insights on the progress.
"The global medical community has advanced significantly in theranostics, and Kazakhstan is following suit. 'Theranostics' is a term combining 'therapy' and 'diagnosis,' meaning that the same isotope can be used not only to diagnose diseases at an early stage but also to treat them. A key component of these drugs is a targeted delivery module that recognizes molecules specific to cancer cells and delivers therapeutic and diagnostic agents directly to the affected cells," Sadoukasova explained.
Currently, the center focuses on diagnosing cancer using radiopharmaceuticals, but plans to expand treatment options.
Sayanbek Sakhiev, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics, announced plans to expand the production of radiopharmaceuticals by the end of the year, including isotopes such as Samarium-225 and Lutetium-177 for cancer treatment.
According to Sadoukasova, the development of these technologies is part of Kazakhstan’s nuclear energy and medicine roadmap, set for 2024-2030. In 2025, the center aims to introduce radioembolization, a technique where isotopes are delivered directly into liver tumors, providing a new cancer treatment path without the need for chemotherapy or radiation.