International Award for Innovative Prostate Cancer Therapy

International Award for Innovative Prostate Cancer Therapy

UKZN’s Head of Nuclear Medicine Professor Mariza Vorster is the proud recipient of the Maurits W. Geerlings 2023 Next Generation Award for Outstanding Research and Contributions to Actinium-225 Radiopharmaceuticals.

The award was bestowed on Vorster in Munich, Germany, by the International Centers for Precision Oncology Foundation (ICPO) – a non-profit organisation established in 2019 under German law for leading international medical practitioners and life sciences entrepreneurs.

Vorster was responsible for bringing the innovative cancer therapy for the management of prostate cancer, known as Ac225 Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) therapy, to the province of KwaZulu-Natal where it is administered at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban. Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours in men around the world.

According to Vorster, Ac225 PSMA is a form of radionuclide therapy, which delivers alpha particles close to the DNA of cancer cells. The radiation emitted by these alpha particles destroys the tumour DNA, causing shrinkage and preventing further or re-growth of cancer cells. In some cases, all the cancer cells are destroyed.

This effective and safe therapy also selectively targets cancer cells that over-express the PSMA receptor leaving normal tissues mostly unaffected. Vorster said: ‘The therapy is injected within minutes for outpatient treatment and patients respond very well, even when it is provided as a last resort treatment and suffer minimal side effects, mainly dryness in the mouth. Prior to treatment, patients are imaged with Ga-68-PSMA PET/CT which enables us to select patients those likely to respond to this form of therapy. We follow their treatment responses up in the same way.’

Vorster, who qualified as a nuclear medicine physician in 2010 at the University of Pretoria, obtained her doctoral degree from there in 2014 for her research on the use of 68Ga-citrate PET in indeterminate lung lesions, making her the first female nuclear physician with a PhD in South Africa. She is a National Research Foundation-rated scientist who has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, including several chapters in textbooks.

Vorster is passionate about training well-rounded nuclear medicine physicians who are sought after globally and improving access to nuclear medicine facilities locally. Internationally, she has collaborated with the International Atomic Energy Association on several projects and has been involved in the co-ordination of and teaching of various workshops to train radiographers and nuclear physicians from across the African continent. Her research interests include the use of novel Ga-68 based tracer applications and theragnostics that aim to solve important clinical problems. Vorster aspires to make a meaningful difference by addressing diagnostic challenges that are unique to the South African setting in a cost-effective way.

She commented: ‘I aim to train fit-for-purpose nuclear medicine physicians, expand nuclear medicine services in KwaZulu-Natal, and develop research on locally relevant health issues. I believe that these ideals can only be achieved with the support of a strong team and I look forward to partnering and collaborating with sister departments in other provinces, and strengthening bonds with industry leaders and private practitioners.’

Professor Ncoza Dlova, Dean and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine congratulated Vorster, saying: ‘Wow, that’s amazing. You are breaking the glass ceiling.’

Words: MaryAnn Francis

Photograph: Supplied