Intraperitoneal radioimmunotherapy: Auger electron emitters for solid tumors

Evaluation of: Boudousq V, Ricaud S, Garambois V et al.: Brief intraperitoneal radioimmunotherapy of small peritoneal carcinomatosis using high activities of noninternalizing ¹²⁵I-labeled monoclonal antibodies. J. Nucl. Med. 51, 1748-1755 (2010). Mesothelioma, pseudomyxoma peritonei, ovarian and colon cancers, and several other malignancies produce peritoneal carcinomatosis in their advanced stages. This condition is typically managed with curative intention by means of a radical cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy. The method has been shown to improve the survival of some patients with peritoneal dissemination. However, the intracavitary instillation of chemotherapy results in a nonuniform drug distribution and allows penetration of the drug only into the outermost layer of the cancer nodule. Authors of the current study demonstrate that ¹²⁵I-radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, 35A7, which recognizes anti-carcinoembryonic antigen, can be used effectively and safely with low toxicity in the therapy of small volume peritoneal carcinomatosis after cytoreductive surgery.