Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Expands Advanced Cancer Care with New Pluvicto™ Therapy
First in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Offer Targeted Radiopharmaceutical Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital (SMH), in collaboration with Green Bay Oncology (GBO), is proud to announce the launch of a new Nuclear Medicine service line offering Pluvicto™ (lutetium Lu-177 vipivotide tetraxetan) — a groundbreaking, FDA-approved therapy for patients with advanced metastatic prostate cancer.
With this addition, SMH becomes the only provider in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula offering this highly specialized treatment, bringing cutting-edge cancer care closer to home for patients across the region.
Pluvicto™ is a targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy designed for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Until now, individuals requiring this treatment were forced to travel long distances to lower Michigan or out-of-state facilities — a significant burden for patients already facing advanced illness and treatment-related fatigue.
“This is a major step forward for cancer care in the Upper Peninsula,” said Rob Mach, CEO of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. “By offering Pluvicto locally, we are removing barriers to care and ensuring our patients can access life-extending treatment without leaving their community.”
A New Era of Local Cancer Treatment
Pluvicto™ works by delivering targeted radiation directly to prostate cancer cells, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The therapy is administered intravenously every six weeks over a course of six treatments, typically spanning approximately eight months.
Each visit lasts about one hour and includes a brief infusion followed by monitoring.
Treatments will be delivered in a specialized Nuclear Medicine setting at SMH, adhering to all safety protocols required for radiopharmaceutical therapies.
Meeting a Critical Need in the U.P.
The introduction of Pluvicto at SMH addresses a significant gap in cancer care across the Upper Peninsula. All eligible patients, including those referred through Green Bay Oncology in Manistique and Escanaba, now have access to this therapy locally.
“This collaboration allows us to bring highly specialized oncology treatment into a rural setting without compromising quality,” said Dr. Matthew Ryan from Green Bay Oncology. “It’s a meaningful advancement for patients who otherwise face difficult travel during an already challenging time.”
Strengthening Rural Healthcare Excellence
The addition of this service reinforces SMH’s commitment to expanding specialty care and advancing healthcare access in rural communities. The program is supported through partnerships with Green Bay Oncology and Novartis, the manufacturer of Pluvicto™, along with financial pathways including Medicare reimbursement, 340B program eligibility, and co-pay assistance programs.
“This is exactly what rural healthcare should look like — innovative, collaborative, and centered on patient needs,” Mach added. “We are proud to lead the way in bringing advanced cancer therapies to the Upper Peninsula.”
To learn more about Pluvicto™, talk to your health care provider.
906-341-3200 
