Abstract: Although thyroid carcinoma usually has an excellent prognosis, the lack of therapeutic options is an issue for patients that develop metastases and are resistant to radioiodine therapy. The development of novel molecular targeted therapies and the characterization of several proteins that have a crucial role in the carcinogenesis process of differentiated thyroid cancer have created an opportunity to design new clinical trials for this setting. Moreover, the encouraging initial results of first clinical trials have accelerated the development of placebo-controlled phase III studies that will assess the role of these new agents in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer. ... Read more

Abstract: Prostate cancer continues to represent a major health problem, and yet there is no effective treatment available for advanced metastatic disease. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of more effective treatment modalities that could improve the outcome. Because prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a transmembrane protein, is expressed by virtually all prostate cancers, and its expression is further increased in poorly differentiated, metastatic, and hormone-refractory carcinomas, it is a very attractive target. Molecules targeting PSMA can be labelled with radionuclides to become both diagnostic and/or therapeutic agents. The use of PSMA binding agents, labelled with diagnostic and therapeutic radio-isotopes, opens up the potential for a new era of personalized management of metastatic prostate cancer. ... Read more

Abstract: A new era in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be dawning. Twelve years after the first approval of biologic therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the positive results of two large trials of a novel biologic therapy for SLE have raised hopes that a new approach to treatment may be at hand. This encouraging news follows several disappointments in trials of other biologic therapies and provides a timely moment to reflect on where we stand, what we have learned, and what may lie ahead. ... Read more

Abstract: Radiotherapy and gene therapy seem far apart. Nevertheless, they can form a formidable partnership in killing cancer cells. Gene delivery technology can make cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation therapy and make surrounding normal cells more resistant to it. ... Read more

Abstract: Magic bullets armed with nuclear war head? Monoclonal antibodies labeled with radioactive isotope, when taken orally, seek and attach to tumor cells and bring radiation close to a range of destruction. ... Read more

Other Names: Tositumomab and ¹³¹I-Tositumomab.

Makers: Corixa of Seattle, WA and GlaxoSmithKline of Philadelphia, PA.

Disease Treated: Non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma (NHL). There are currently about 300,000 cases of NHL in the United States, with more than 56,000 new cases predicted to have been diagnosed in 2002. The National Institute of Cancer estimates that approximately 140,000 people have low-grade NHL or transformed low-grade NHL, an aggressive, difficult-to-treat, and particularly deadly form of the disease for which BEXXAR is indicated. The American Cancer Society estimates that 24,400 people would die of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the United States in 2002.

Chemical/Biological Nature: Unlabeled and ¹³¹I-labeled murine ... Read more

Zevalin is the nuclear-armed version of Rituxan. Specifically, Zevalin is the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody drug Rituxan (”guiding missile”) labeled with the radioactive isotope Yttrium-90 (nuclear “warhead”).

Zevalin is indicated for relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, including patients with Rituxan-refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

When Zevalin binds to cancer cells and normal mature B cells that express the biomarker protein CD20, it brings radiation to these cells in a harm’s way. Zevalin kills its target cells via both cold (means by which Rituxan does its job) and hot (pin-point radiation) approaches.

Zevalin is given to a patient by intravenous infusion. Isotope Yttrium-90 emits beta ... Read more