‘Dilbert’ Creator’s Public Plea Highlights Access Issues for Advanced Cancer Treatment

When Scott Adams, the 67-year-old creator of the popular comic strip “Dilbert,” made a public appeal for help accessing a life-extending cancer treatment, his case thrust both his personal health crisis and a cutting-edge cancer therapy into the national spotlight.

Adams revealed in May that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate and no longer responds to standard therapies. On Sunday, he took to social media platform X with an urgent request directed at President Donald Trump, seeking assistance in accessing a drug called Pluvicto.

“My healthcare provider, Kaiser of Northern California, has approved my application to receive a newly FDA-approved drug called Pluvicto,” Adams wrote. “But they have dropped the ball in scheduling the brief IV to administer it and I can’t seem to fix that.”

His message continued with a stark assessment of his condition: “I am declining fast. I will ask President Trump if he can get Kaiser of Northern California to respond and schedule it for Monday. That will give me a fighting chance to stick around on this planet a little bit longer.”

Trump responded promptly on Truth Social with a screenshot of Adams’ post and the comment, “On it!”

Kaiser Permanente issued a statement to Fox News Digital, saying: “Mr. Adams’ oncology team is working closely with him on the next steps in his cancer care, which are already underway. Since it was approved by the FDA three years ago, Kaiser Permanente’s nuclear medicine and medical oncology experts have treated more than 150 patients with Lu-177 PSMA (Pluvicto) in Northern California alone. We know this drug and this disease.”

What Makes Pluvicto Different

Pluvicto, manufactured by Novartis AG, represents a significant advancement in targeted cancer treatment. The drug, which contains the active ingredient lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan, is what medical experts classify as a “radioligand therapy.”

Dr. Alan Bryce, medical oncologist and chief clinical officer at City of Hope Phoenix, explained the technology: “It involves a radioactive isotope, which has been linked to a targeting molecule that delivers the isotope to prostate cancer cells. In this way, it has the advantage of concentrating the active drug at the site of the cancerous tissue and delivering less of the drug to healthy tissues.”

This targeted approach makes Pluvicto particularly valuable in the treatment arsenal. It not only helps suppress cancer and extend life but often improves symptoms by reducing pain and increasing energy levels. As Bryce noted, it’s “currently the only radioligand therapy approved for prostate cancer, so it provides a nice alternative means of attack compared to the other options.”

The FDA approved Pluvicto in March 2022 for adult patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that has a high level of prostate-specific membrane antigen positivity. To qualify, patients must have already undergone hormone-blocking drugs and taxane-based chemotherapy. In 2025, the approval expanded to include patients who have received AR drugs and are able to delay chemotherapy.

The treatment regimen typically involves IV infusions every six weeks for up to six doses, depending on disease progression and patient tolerance.

Barriers to Treatment Access

While Pluvicto offers promising results, several barriers can complicate patient access. Initially, the drug faced supply chain shortages due to limited availability of the radioactive particles it contains, though these issues have reportedly improved.

The radioactive nature of Pluvicto requires careful handling in tightly controlled environments, meaning it isn’t available in every oncologist’s office. In some communities, the treatment may be limited to specific medical practices with appropriate facilities.

Each dose must be custom manufactured for individual patients, as the isotope decays over time and cannot be stored for future use. This production complexity can create logistical challenges and scheduling difficulties—precisely the issue Adams appears to be facing.

“This may reflect limitations of the medical infrastructure in the local environment, and points to the importance of systems that are able to deliver care as quickly and efficiently as possible while maintaining safety,” Dr. Bryce commented on Adams’ situation.

Side Effects and Considerations

According to Novartis and clinical trial data, Pluvicto’s most common side effects include fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, back pain, joint pain, decreased appetite, and constipation. These effects are typically mild to moderate.

Patients may experience changes in blood test results, including lower levels of blood cells or certain minerals, which doctors monitor throughout treatment. In rare cases, serious complications can occur, including bleeding problems, infections like sepsis, kidney injury, or pulmonary embolism.

The medication’s radioactive component necessitates careful handling to minimize radiation exposure, and it should not be used during pregnancy due to risks to the unborn child.

Medical experts note that Pluvicto generally causes fewer systemic side effects than chemotherapy because of its targeted nature, though individual responses vary.

The Broader Context of Prostate Cancer

Adams’ public appeal highlights the ongoing challenges in treating advanced prostate cancer, a disease that will affect approximately one in eight men during their lifetimes. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 35,770 patients will die from prostate cancer in 2025, making it the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men, after lung cancer.

As high-profile cases like Adams’ demonstrate, even with promising new treatments available, issues of access, timing, and healthcare infrastructure continue to create significant challenges for patients battling aggressive forms of the disease.