Kenya Hospital Brings New Prostate Cancer Therapy to Africa

Patients across East Africa just gained access to a cancer treatment that was previously out of reach.

The Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital in Nairobi has become the first public hospital in the region to offer Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy. This targeted radiation treatment delivers medicine directly to prostate cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue and reducing the harsh side effects that often come with traditional cancer treatments.

The breakthrough matters most for men with advanced prostate cancer who no longer respond to conventional therapies like chemotherapy or hormone treatment. For these patients, options were limited and often required traveling abroad for expensive experimental treatments.

Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy works differently than older approaches. The radioactive treatment binds to proteins found on prostate cancer cells, destroying them from the inside while leaving surrounding healthy cells largely untouched. Patients typically experience fewer complications and better outcomes than with standard radiation.

Dr. Zeinab Gura, CEO of KUTRRH, emphasized the hospital's commitment to making world-class cancer care accessible to everyday Kenyans. The facility serves patients not just from Kenya but from across East Africa, where advanced cancer care has historically required expensive trips to hospitals in Europe or Asia.

The Ripple Effect

This medical milestone extends far beyond one hospital's capabilities. By offering cutting-edge cancer treatment in a public facility, KUTRRH is supporting Kenya's push toward Universal Health Coverage, making life-saving innovations available regardless of a patient's ability to pay.

The hospital's investment in advanced cancer care also strengthens the entire region's medical infrastructure. Other East African nations can now refer their most complex cases to Nairobi instead of overseas, keeping families closer together during treatment and building local expertise.

As more public hospitals adopt innovative therapies, the cost typically decreases, making treatment accessible to more patients who need it most.

Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting African men, and access to advanced treatment has long been a critical gap in healthcare across the continent. KUTRRH's new capability represents a major step toward closing that gap and giving patients fighting advanced disease a genuine chance at more time with their families.