The promise of targeted α-particle therapy Journal Article


Authors: Mulford, D. A.; Scheinberg, D. A.; Jurcic, J. G.
Article Title: The promise of targeted α-particle therapy
Abstract: The use of monoclonal antibodies to deliver radioisotopes directly to tumor cells has become a promising strategy to enhance the antitumor effects of native antibodies. Since the α-and β-particles emitted during the decay of radioisotopes differ in significant ways, proper selection of isotope and antibody combina tions is crucial to making radioimmunotherapy a standard therapeutic modality. Because of the short pathlength (50-80 μm) and high linear energy transfer (≃100 keV/μm) of α-emitting radioisotopes, targeted α-particle therapy offers the potential for more specific tumor cell killing with less damage to surrounding normal tissues than β-emitters. These properties make targeted α-particle therapy ideal for the elimination of minimal residual or micrometastatic disease. Radioimmunotherapy using α-emitters such as 213Bi, 211At, and 225Ac has shown activity in several in vitro and in vivo experimental models. Clinical trials have demonstrated the safety, feasibility, and activity of targeted α-particle therapy in the treatment of smallvolume and cytoreduced disease. Further advances will require investigation of more potent isotopes, new sources and methods of isotope production, improved chelation techniques, better methods for pharmacokinetic and dosimetric modeling, and new methods of isotope delivery such as pretargeting. Treatment of patients with less-advanced disease and, ultimately, randomized trials comparing targeted α-particle therapy with standard approaches will be required to determine the clinical utility of this approach.
Keywords: unclassified drug; clinical trial; drug activity; review; drug safety; nonhuman; cytarabine; glioma; breast cancer; allogenic bone marrow transplantation; in vivo study; in vitro study; monoclonal antibody; prostate cancer; feasibility study; isotope labeling; dosimetry; lymphoma; tumor cell; graft versus host reaction; radioisotope; drug half life; colon carcinoma; radioimmunotherapy; analgesia; cell killing; electron; radiobiology; myeloid leukemia; alpha radiation; actinium 225; linear energy transfer; astatine 211; bismuth 213; radium 223; chelating agent; radium; bismuth 212; terbium 149; radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies; targeted α-particle therapy; lead 212; monoclonal antibody hum195; terbium
Journal Title: Journal of Nuclear Medicine
Volume: 46
Issue: 1 Suppl.
ISSN: 0161-5505
Publisher: Society of Nuclear Medicine  
Date Published: 2005-01-01
Start Page: 199S
End Page: 204S
Language: English
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 15653670
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 96" - "Export Date: 24 October 2012" - "CODEN: JNMEA" - "Source: Scopus"
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Joseph G Jurcic
    134 Jurcic