Speaker
Prof.
Jean-Philippe VUILLEZ
(CHU GRENOBLE)
Description
Internal targeted radiotherapy consists in the in situ irradiation of tumour cells
using an appropriate radiolabelled agent. Such an agent should be sufficiently
tumour-specific in order to accumulate and be retained for a long time in the
tumour, while its elimination from normal tissues should occur quickly. Such an
approach has already proved to be efficient for the treatment of thyroid cancer
(using iodine 131)and lymphomas (using radiolabelled antibodies), and is now being
evaluated for many cancer diseases through several ways of improvement. Research
currently focuses on the promotion of new targets, the development of new targeting
agents and the adaptation of the pharmacokinetic approach for delivery to tumour
cells, the use of new radionuclides, and a better comprehension of the
radiobiological effects and dosimetry at the cellular level. Among new targets,
several antigens and membrane receptors are of interest, especially if binding of
the radiolabelled agent leads to its internalization. Concerning the targeting
agents, pretargeting systems allowing better tumor/non tumor ratios must be
especially emphasized. Among radionuclides, numerous beta-emitters could be used,
and more recently the use of alpha emitters also represents a particularly exciting
new area of investigation. Moreover, clinical settings for which internal
radiotherapy could be efficient and useful are better defined and, together with the
possibilities of associating such an approach with other treatment modalities (ie,
chemotherapy, hormonotherapy and more generally biological response modifiers), one
can foresee that targeted radiotherapy will soon be considered as a promising new
treatment tool for cancer.
Author
Prof.
Jean-Philippe VUILLEZ
(CHU GRENOBLE)
