Immunoscintigraphy of human lung squamous cell carcinoma using an iodine-131 labelled monoclonal antibody (Po66)

Abstract

Summary Monoclonal antibody (McAb) Po66 has been obtained by immunisation of mice against a human lung squamous cell carcinoma. The in vitro reactivity of the antibody with cancer cells and its ability to localise in human lung cancer xenografts growing in nude mice have been reported earlier. Presented here is the first clinical evaluation of the antibody for scintigraphic detection of tumours. Thirty-three patients with histologically confirmed primary non-small cell lung carcinoma were investigated. Twenty-seven of them were explored at the preoperative stage and six at 6 months after surgery. Biodistribution results were obtained from seven operated patients by combining injections of '3'I-radiolabelled Po66 and of '251-labelled unrelated immunoglobulin. The localisation index was three times higher for this specific antibody. Immunoscintigraphy detected 78% of primary tumours and 100% of recurrences. In this short series of patients, immunoscintigraphy proved helpful in the assessment of tumour spread in four patients by visualising localisations in the mediastinum or the contralateral lung which the CT scan had failed to demonstrate. Immunoscintigraphy was also more efficient than plain chest X-ray for the detection of local tumour recurrences.

Anti-CEA immunoscintigraphy and computed tomographic scanning in the preoperative evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in lung cancer

“…In patients with lung cancer several studies have shown that immunoscintigraphy may detect the primary tumour and the possible presence of regional and distant metastases. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] In 13 of 17 clinical investigations so far available for evaluation, tumour targeting was attempted with anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) antibodies 2-46-101214-17 and anti-CEA immunoscintigraphy can be regarded as the standard for immunoscintigraphic diagnosis. In a recent review of studies of anti-CEA immunoscintigraphy in lung cancer'9 the average detection rates for primary, mediastinal, and distant tumour metastases were 87% (216 of 248 patients), 70% (49 of 70), and 84% (109 of 130), respectively.…”