Can you take lutetium lu 177 dotatate while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate is a radiolabeled somatostatin analog indicated for the treatment of somatostatin receptor-positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. No information is available on the use of lutetium Lu 177 dotatate during breastfeeding. The manufacturer recommends that breastfeeding be discontinued during lutetium Lu 177 dotatate therapy and for 2.5 months following the last dose, which would usually mean permanently discontinuing breastfeeding of the current infant.
Mothers concerned about the level of radioactivity in their milk could ask to have it tested at a nuclear medicine facility at their hospital. When the radioactivity is at a safe level, she may resume breastfeeding. A method for measuring milk radioactivity and determining the time when a mother can safely resume breastfeeding has been published.
Quoted from Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 17, 2025.
How much lutetium lu 177 dotatate gets into breastmilk
Lutetium 177 decays to stable hafnium (Hf 177) with a half-life of 6.65 days, by emitting beta radiation with a maximum energy of 0.498 MeV and photonic gamma radiation of 0.208 MeV and 0.113 MeV.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take lutetium lu 177 dotatate while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Lutetium Lu 177 Dotatate while breastfeeding — quoted in full. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
Does lutetium lu 177 dotatate pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for lutetium lu 177 dotatate are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking lutetium lu 177 dotatate?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on lutetium lu 177 dotatate
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.