Calgary man waiting for treatment not yet offered at city’s new cancer centre

A Calgary man says he’s facing cancer treatment delays because the specialized therapy he needs is not yet being offered at his city’s new cancer centre, which opened in 2024.

Eric Johnson, 32, was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour last year after struggling with pain for years.

The cancer, which is described as rare, spread, and he had surgery to remove his pancreas and part of his liver earlier this year.

But the cancer returned, and he was told in September that he needed a targeted radioactive IV therapy, known as Lutathera.

Lutathera was approved by Health Canada in 2019 and it was added to Alberta’s list of publicly funded outpatient cancer drugs in February of this year.

It is currently only offered at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton.

Johnson’s family had high hopes when he was referred. But after multiple tests, he was told he was not approved for treatment there.

“According to the doctors in Edmonton, my cancer is not bad enough for me to be receiving the treatment,” said Johnson.

“I do worry a lot about it. It’s not so much the cancer you know about that’s the problem. It’s sometimes the cancer you don’t.”

His mother, a retired nurse, said his cancer can’t be cured, but the hope is that Lutathera can slow the progression.

“It is a slow growing cancer, but it is aggressive,” said Yvonne Johnson. 

“It’s heartbreaking to watch your son go through this.”

Yvonne, who attends all of her son’s appointments, said they were told that there were several delays launching the treatment at Calgary’s new cancer centre.

“Our understanding is if it was available here in Calgary, he would have started right away,” she said.

Both mother and son were stunned to discover the treatment wasn’t available at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, which was touted as a world-class facility when it opened in 2024.

Yvonne said she was “totally shocked and a little bit dismayed that we have a state-of-the-art cancer centre and it’s not fully equipped yet,” adding they’ve received excellent care and support from Eric’s medical team.

Jackie Herman, with the Canadian Neuroendocrine Tumour Society, said this type of cancer is lesser known and often overlooked.

Advocates have struggled for years to ensure patients have adequate access to treatment, according to Herman, who is the volunteer president of the Ontario-based advocacy group.

“They should have access to this standard of care treatment immediately upon their doctor deciding that this is the treatment they should have,” she said.

“It’s incredibly disappointing.”

Herman said it is natural that Albertans would expect the new cancer centre would be ready to offer this therapy.

“The logistics should have been put in place knowing that the treatment would be publicly funded in Alberta this year. So it would have been great if that had been aligned.”

Treatment to begin in new year

Acute Care Alberta, the agency in charge of Cancer Care Alberta, said the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (ACCC) was designed to support “future growth and accommodate additional cancer treatment options as capacity allows.”

In a statement, a spokesperson said the treatment would be launched in Calgary in January.

“With adequate staffing now in place and specialized treatment spaces available, we are expanding services and will begin offering Lutathera therapy at ACCC in the new year,” the statement said in part.

Eric has received news he will indeed be able to get the treatment when it begins early in 2026.

Acute Care Alberta didn’t say how many people are on the waitlist for Lutathera at the Cross Cancer Institute, which is the only facility currently offering the therapy.

“We know how stressful and life-changing a cancer diagnosis is for both patients and their families, regardless of the prognosis,” spokesperson Jennifer Vanderlaan said.

“All cancer facilities use a triage process based on condition and urgency. Waitlists and clinic bookings are regularly reviewed, triaging the most urgent cases.”

Once a patient is deemed eligible, Lutathera treatment usually begins within two to three weeks, the agency said.

According to Vanderlaan, Cancer Care Alberta is taking steps to address capacity pressures and improve access to care, including recruiting staff across the province.

“Our focus is on ensuring patients can receive the care they need, as close to home as possible,” the email stated.

Meanwhile, Chris Gallaway with Friends of Medicare, said the situation highlights ongoing concerns about access to cancer care in Alberta. 

He said the group often hears from cancer patients who are surprised by what treatment is and isn’t offered at the Calgary cancer centre.

“That’s why we need more than just hype and ribbon cuttings about a new building being opened,” said Gallaway, the group’s executive director.

“We actually need a plan for the workforce and for what care and capacity we’re going to have inside the building.”