Fairway Man Becomes First Saint Luke’s Patient to Receive Targeted Radiation Therapy

All eyes were on Dana Boucher, 67, after he received his first dose of LUTATHERA®, a targeted radiation treatment, to treat his neuroendocrine cancer.

“There must have been a dozen people outside my hospital room at any given time,” Dana says. “Since I was the first patient at Saint Luke’s to undergo LUTATHERA therapy, doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators were all interested to see how I was doing.”

LUTATHERA is a targeted radioactive therapy specifically for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) found in the gut or pancreas. Given through IV infusion, it uses radioactive isotopes to destroy the cancer cells causing serotonin spikes while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. 

For Dana, Saint Luke’s received approval to offer LUTATHERA to patients at just the right time.

Dana’s neuroendocrine cancer diagnosis
In August 2022, Dana visited Saint Luke’s Community Hospital in Roeland Park, Kansas, with persistent abdominal and stomach issues. Within five minutes, he was in a triage room. Within 30 minutes, he had a CT scan. 

The results revealed a mass blocking almost his entire colon, prompting immediate surgery. Dana was transferred to Saint Luke’s North Hospital and, under the care of Ben Kulow, MD, and his gastrointestinal medical oncology team, had laparoscopic surgeries to address the blockage. Unfortunately, Dana's cancer had already spread to his liver.

Although his intestinal blockage had resolved, Dana still had complications from the hormones produced by the neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in his liver. The NETs were emitting a high amount of the hormone serotonin, causing his heart valve to break down. Marc Roth, MD, hematology oncologist, recommended injections of the synthetic hormone lanreotide every four weeks to treat the tumors and decrease Dana's serotonin levels.

The lanreotide stabilized his disease temporarily, but by late 2023, a cardiac echo revealed tricuspid valve damage in Dana’s heart, likely caused by high serotonin levels from the NETs. As the damage to the heart valve worsened, Dana found himself experiencing shortness of breath and becoming easily winded—one flight of steps was a challenge, while three flights were impossible.

Dr. Roth referred Dana to Anatoly Loskutov, MD, an interventional radiologist, who performed targeted procedures on his liver to reduce tumor activity using radioactive isotopes. This reduced the serotonin a modest amount but, again, Dana needed something stronger.

In November 2024, Dana received open-heart surgery to replace his tricuspid valve, which was around the same time Dr. Roth started discussing LUTATHERA.

A Saint Luke’s first
By December 2024, Saint Luke’s had received approval to provide LUTATHERA treatments to patients. Through Sunpreet Rakhra, MD, Saint Luke’s radiation oncologist, Dana became Saint Luke’s first LUTATHERA recipient. 

For Dana, the LUTATHERA therapy has been a success. After treatments in December 2024 and February 2025, Dana’s serotonin levels have dropped from the extreme height of 2,200 nanograms per milliliter to within normal range at 170. 

“It sounds scary to be the guinea pig,” Dana says, “but I actually felt honored that I had the privilege and opportunity. Hopefully this therapy can help somebody else along the way.”

Dana is scheduled for a third treatment in June and has tolerated treatment well apart from some blood count abnormalities. Additionally, there is no known cure for NET, so he is still facing challenges. 

Even so, Dana has been able to travel the world since LUTATHERA. 

Last summer, Dana and his wife enjoyed a two-week cruise through the fjords of Norway, sailing north of the Article Circle where they experienced seven days of continuous sunlight. This past winter, they escaped the cold Midwest to the Caribbean, enjoying 12 weeks in St. Thomas and Puerto Rico.

This spring, Dana enjoyed a fishing trip to Table Rock Lake, along with trips to Arizona and Las Vegas. He is in the process of planning fall trips to New York, San Francisco, and a river boat cruise through the Bordeaux region of France.

Dana knows it’s a blessing he’s still able to go on these adventures, which is why he is making the most of his time.

“Planning trips has been good therapy for me,” he says. “I like planning and figuring out where we’re going to go next.”

Our providers recommend adults get a screening colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at age 45—sooner if you are high-risk for colon cancer or have symptoms. Saint Luke’s Gastrointestinal Cancer Program offers same- or next-day appointments. Learn more or schedule your screening.