Theranostics status in Malaysia Tan, Teik Hin(TEIN Lecture Series 2022 2nd)

In this lecture, Dr. Tan Teik Hin, president of the Malaysian Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, provides an overview of the current status and challenges of theranostics in Malaysia. He begins by defining theranostics and explaining the local adaptation of terminology to facilitate insurance reimbursement. He then presents statistics on nuclear medicine centers in Malaysia, noting that there are about 35 centers for a population of 33 million, with uneven distribution across states. The development of targeted radionuclide therapies is traced from iodine-131 to more recent treatments like 177Lu-PRRT and 177Lu-PSMA, with plans for actinium-225. Key challenges include patient referral, radioisotope procurement, pricing, staff training, and regulatory approval. Dr. Tan shares his experience in establishing PRRT in Malaysia, emphasizing the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, workshops, and consensus guidelines. He highlights differences in patient presentation and treatment response compared to Western countries, such as later diagnosis and higher metastasis rates in prostate cancer. He concludes by stressing the need for collaborative platforms, standardized procedures, and continuous education to overcome these challenges.