Texas Cancer Center Offers Targeted Prostate Treatment

At 77, Tyson Johnson does 1,200 situps before dawn and has outlived prostate cancer for over 20 years. The Carthage, Texas resident credits his latest winning streak to a revolutionary treatment that's changing how doctors fight advanced prostate cancer.

Texas Oncology's Longview Cancer Center recently began offering Pluvicto, a targeted radiation therapy that replaces brutal chemotherapy for many patients. Dr. Bill Taylor, who has guided Johnson's care for two decades, calls it a game changer.

"This works like a charm," Taylor said. The treatment attaches radiation to a protein that seeks out prostate cancer cells specifically, delivering its payload exactly where it's needed.

For Johnson, who wasn't a candidate for surgery when his metastatic cancer was first diagnosed, the journey has been long. He's tried different hormone therapies and chemotherapy over the years as his cancer adapted and grew resistant to treatments.

When his chemotherapy stopped working effectively, Pluvicto offered a new path forward. Johnson is now on his fifth of six treatment rounds and feeling strong enough to joke about being "the healthiest dead man you've ever seen."

The timing couldn't be better. New research shows that patients do better when they receive Pluvicto earlier in their treatment journey, before chemotherapy takes its toll.

"The new data said we're waiting too long," Taylor explained. Instead of making patients endure chemotherapy first, doctors can now jump straight to this more targeted approach with fewer harsh side effects.

Why This Inspires

Johnson's story shows how far prostate cancer treatment has come. Just a few years ago, men with advanced disease faced limited options and difficult side effects. Today, treatments like Pluvicto are extending lives while preserving quality of life.

Taylor believes the treatment will allow Johnson to live out his natural lifespan. "He may die with prostate cancer, but not from it," the doctor said.

The fact that this advanced treatment is now available in Longview means East Texas patients don't have to travel to major medical centers for cutting-edge care. Local communities are bringing world-class cancer treatment home.

Johnson's morning situps tell the real story better than any scan could.