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A nuclear medicine cancer treatment

Health: New treatment for radiotherapy-resistant cancers

A nuclear medicine cancer treatment for patients who do not respond effectively to other treatments like radiotherapy is the objective of the project AlphaMet[1], funded by EURAMET, the European Association of National Metrology Institutes, a network of 17 European partners which includes ENEA and the National Institute for Metrology of Ionizing Radiation (INMRI), that will work together with their main European peers like the CEA, CIEMAT, CMI, NPL and POLATOM[2].

 “The method developed is called Target Alpha Therapy (TAT) and has been found to be of extreme interest in the treatment of patients who do not respond positively to radiotherapy with external beams or beta-emitting radionuclides[3]”, explained Marco Capogni, researcher at INMRI and ENEA project leader.

The radionuclides used in nuclear medicine for diagnosis and therapy require to accurately quantify the dose to the patient, making it necessary to rely on ionizing radiation metrology to provide appropriate reference measurements.

The project is organized in four technical work packages, one on the impact of the outcomes and the last one on the coordination and management of the project.

In particular, ENEA-INMRI – which is located at the Casaccia Research Center (Rome) – will be involved in the development of new reference standards for the accurate measurement of alpha emitter activity.

“These radionuclides emit high-energy alpha particles, with high ionizing power and reduced penetration radius, therefore they can be used in the form of drugs characterized by a high cancer-cell selectivity, thus minimizing the side effects of imparted doses”, said Capogni.

The metrological characterization of Ac-225 sources, an emerging alpha emitter in the TAT sector, is of particular interest.

 “The new standard will make it possible to assess dose estimates of this radionuclide in order to provide personalised doses for cancer treatment” concluded Capogni.

Photogallery

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Figure 1 –Modes of alpha-emitting radioisotopes in cancer treatment
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Figure 2 - Comparison of different radionuclide cancer therapies
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Figure 3 - Comparison of penetrating power of alpha and beta particles and their efficacy in cancer treatment

For more information please contact:

Marco Capogni, ENEA- National Institute of Metrology of Ionizing Radiations,

Notes

[1]  Metrology to support therapy with alpha emitters or target alpha therapy.

[2]  CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives; CIEMAT - Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas; CMI - Czech Metrology Institute; NPL - National Physical Laboratory; POLATOM -  National Centre for Nuclear Reseach Radioisotope Centre.

[3]  Unstable nuclide that decays into a more stable nuclide by releasing energy in the form of subatomic particles.
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