Research Spotlight - Radioimmunotherapy: Optimizing Delivery to Solid Tumors

Abstract

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a cancer treatment that exploits the specific targeting capability of monoclonal antibodies to deliver cytotoxic radionuclides to antigen-expressing tumor cells or stromal targets. While this has been extremely successful in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, RIT of solid tumors has produced less prolonged effects. In our laboratory, we have developed a bench-to-bedside translational pipeline with the aim of optimizing RIT for solid tumors. We will show how preclinical models of colorectal adenocarcinoma were initially used to study reciprocal interactions between elements of the tumor microenvironment and RIT and to test novel therapeutic strategies. These studies were then used to facilitate the design of novel trials carried out in close collaboration with our clinical colleagues.

Microdosimetry for Targeted Alpha Therapy of Cancer

“…The AIC can be administered by intra-lesional, orthotopic, or systemic injection. Targeted cancer cells are killed by the short-range alpha radiation, while sparing distant normal tissue cells, giving the minimal toxicity to normal tissue [2]. …”

Emerging Trends for Radioimmunotherapy in Solid Tumors

“…2 Several articles have reviewed various other aspects of solid tumor RIT, including the role of radiobiology in tumor cell killing, clinical experience with RIT, pretargeting strategies, targeted therapies, optimization of delivery, and the use of various radionuclides for RIT. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] Development of efficient labeling methodologies has fueled recent interest in exploiting short-range, high energy a-particle emitting radionuclides for treating solid tumors by RIT in a minimal residual disease setting. In addition to the identification and use of new antigenic targets, RIT and radioimmunoimaging strategies are also being developed using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that are conventionally approved as unlabeled therapeutic agents.…”