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S M Larson

Publications and source records attributed to S M Larson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Enhancing the uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs into tumors using an "artificial lymphatic system".

This paper presents findings from uptake studies to evaluate the ability of an "artificial lymphatic system" (ALS) to enhance large and small molecular weight drug transport into solid tumors and the therapeutic effect of the additional drug on their growth. These studies also served to test the effectiveness of an implantable multidrain ALS. Walker 256, Neuroblastoma, and Sarcoma dual-tumor models were used to evaluate the effect of ALS aspiration on the uptake of 3F8 monoclonal antibody, and doxorubicin. A tumor shrinkage experiment using Walker 256 dual tumors was used to evaluate the efficacy of an implantable ALS with cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Drug uptake significantly increased in all aspirated tumors; 3F8 uptake was enhanced 37.4% in the Walker and 93.1% in the Neuroblastoma tumor lines (p<0.05). Doxorubicin uptake increased 23.2% in Sarcoma tumor (p<0.05). The shrinkage study demonstrated that one-drain aspirated tumors shrank 90% faster (p<0.01) than control tumors, while three-drain aspirated tumors shrank 123% faster than control tumors (p<0.01).

Animals↗

Prognostic value of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomographic scanning in patients with thyroid cancer.

Poorly differentiated thyroid cancer lesions often lose the ability to concentrate radioactive [131I]iodine (RAI) and exhibit increased metabolic activity, as evidenced by enhanced glucose uptake. We incorporated [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning into the routine follow-up of a cohort of thyroid cancer patients undergoing annual evaluations. One hundred and twenty-five patients who had previous thyroidectomies were included. They had diagnostic RAI whole body scans, serum thyroglobulin measurements, and additional imaging studies as clinically indicated. During 41 months of follow-up, 14 patients died. Univariate analysis demonstrated that survival was reduced in those with age over 45 yr, distant metastases, PET positivity, high rates of FDG uptake, and high volume of the FDG-avid disease (>125 mL). Survival did not correlate with gender, RAI uptake, initial histology, or grade. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the single strongest predictor of survival was the volume of FDG-avid disease. The 3-yr survival probability of patients with FDG volumes of 125 mL or less was 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.91, 1.0) compared with 0.18 (95% confidence interval, 0.04, 0.85) in patients with FDG volume greater than 125 mL. Only 1 death (of leukemia) occurred in the PET-negative group (n = 66). Of the 10 patients with distant metastases and negative PET scans, all were alive and well. Patients over 45 yr with distant metastases that concentrate FDG are at the highest risk. Once distant metastases are discovered in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma, FDG-PET can identify high and low risk subsets. Subjects with a FDG volume greater than 125 mL have significantly reduced short term survival.

Adult↗

Bone metastases from thyroid carcinoma: a histopathologic study with clinical correlates.

CONTEXT: Only limited information exists on the pathologic aspects of thyroid carcinomas with bone metastases, most large studies having concentrated mainly on their clinical features. OBJECTIVE: To study in detail the morphologic features of thyroid carcinomas with skeletal metastases. DESIGN: Seventy-nine cases of thyroid carcinoma with bone metastases treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, between 1964 and 1998 were investigated, with emphasis on the pathology of the primary and/or metastatic tumors and comparison of the morphologic features of the tumors at both the sites, wherever possible. The tumors were also compared for various clinical parameters. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 22 papillary, 17 follicular, 16 insular, 10 anaplastic, 9 Hürthle cell, and 5 medullary carcinomas. Of these cases, 68% had poorly differentiated or undifferentiated features in the primary and/or metastatic tumors. The metastatic tumors were better differentiated than the primary in one third of the cases (6 of 18). Only one case showed a less differentiated metastasis. The overall 5- and 10-year survival probabilities after the bone metastases were 29% and 13%, respectively (Kaplan-Meier method). Although both the tumor type and differentiation seemed to affect survivals after bone metastasis (P =.007 and.012, respectively) (log-rank test), this was primarily due to the much worse prognosis in the cases of anaplastic and medullary carcinoma. Cases of Hürthle cell carcinoma showed the longest median survival. There was no significant difference in survival among patients up to or older than 45 years at the time of metastases (P =.31). CONCLUSIONS: Most thyroid carcinomas with bone metastases are of papillary type, and most have poorly differentiated or undifferentiated features. The influence of the microscopic tumor type and tumor differentiation on survival after bone metastasis primarily appears to be due to the much worse prognosis among anaplastic and medullary carcinomas. Age at diagnosis of bone metastases does not influence survivals.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Evaluation of 11C-colchicine for PET imaging of multiple drug resistance.

UNLABELLED: Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) can confer multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotype on cancer cells and tumors by reducing intracellular accumulation of various cytotoxic agents. Early diagnosis of MDR in the clinic will serve to improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutic intervention and the quality of life of patients. In this article we describe use of a positron-emitting MDR tracer, 11C-colchicine (CHC), to evaluate MDR by PET imaging. Unlike existing MDR tracers such as 99mTc-sestamibi, this compound is electroneutral, with biodistribution not affected by perturbations of membrane potential. METHODS: In vitro studies showed that resistance to CHC is correlated to resistance to Taxol (paclitaxel). The results of biodistribution experiments were found to be consistent with previously reported experiments with CHC labeled with other isotopes. On the basis of in vitro experiments with a series of drug-resistant variants of the human neuroblastoma BE (2)-C cell line, a mathematic model of 11C-CHC distribution in tumors was formulated. Dynamic PET 11C-CHC imaging experiments were performed with nude rats xenografted with the BE (2)-C-sensitive and -resistant strains. Each scan was accompanied by a transmissions scan and a static FDG scan. These scans allowed improved image localization. RESULTS: We observed an approximately 2-fold difference between 11C-CHC accumulation in sensitive and resistant tumors. Imaging data were analyzed using the mathematic model, and various parameters characterizing resistance could be identified and estimated. In particular, the parameter r, proportional to the level of resistance of the tumors, was obtained. We showed that the ratio of these r parameters determined from the sensitive and resistant tumors was identical to the ratio of CHC accumulation in the corresponding sensitive and resistant cell lines used for xenografting. CONCLUSION: These in vivo experiments provided additional evidence for the indirect effect of P-gp action on CHC-to-tubulin binding, which in turn determines CHC uptake in tumors. The significance of these findings and future plans is discussed.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Radioiodine uptake in thyroid remnants during therapy after tracer dosimetry.

UNLABELLED: Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a diagnostic tracer dose of 131I on the uptake of the therapeutic dose of 1311 in the ablation of a thyroid remnant or residual tumor in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. METHODS: Twelve consecutive patients referred for a dosimetric study and subsequent radioiodine treatment of focal neck uptake of 131I were studied. The 24-h (in 1 case, 48-h) neck activity was calculated by the region-of-interest method, after both dosimetric and therapeutic administrations. The focal activity in the neck was corrected for decay and compared with the total activity administered to obtain the percentage uptake at 24 h. This procedure was performed for both the scanning dose (range, 19.8-196.1 MBq; mean, 85.1 MBq; median, 40 MBq) and the therapeutic dose (range, 1.073-5.713 GBq; mean, 2.991 GBq). The uptake of the therapeutic dose was then expressed as a percentage of the uptake of the diagnostic dose (%T/D). Counting rate linearity was established up to 350 MBq in the field of view of the gamma camera used in the study. RESULTS: Thirteen of a total of 16 lesions exhibited reduced uptake from the therapeutic dose, 2 remained the same, and in 1 the uptake actually increased from 0.26% to 1.01%. The %T/D ranged from 7.0% to 388.5%, with a mean of 71%. If the lesion with increased uptake is excluded, the range becomes 7.0%-102.1%, with a mean of 50%. Linear regression between the percentage uptake of the diagnostic dose to that of the therapeutic dose results in a slope of 0.42, with a correlation coefficient of only 0.75. We were unable to accurately calculate the radiation dose to the lesion from the diagnostic activity of 131I, because of uncertainty about the tumor mass. CONCLUSION: The percentage uptake of the therapeutic dose is on average only one half of that predicted from the dosimetric uptake in thyroid remnants after surgery, even though the median dosimetric dose was only 40 MBq. This reduced uptake should be accounted for in the therapeutic prescription for thyroid ablation or treatment of residual thyroid cancer. We postulate that this effect is caused by radiation damage from the tracer dose during dosimetry.

Humans↗

Optimizing the sequence of combination therapy with radiolabeled antibodies and fractionated external beam.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum sequence for combined modality therapy with radiolabeled antibodies and fractionated external beam radiation. METHODS: The uptake and distribution of a nontherapeutic activity of 125I-labeled tumor-associated A33 monoclonal antibody was determined in SW1222 human colon carcinoma xenografts in nude mice for 4 study groups: group 1, radiolabeled antibody alone; group 2, radiolabeled antibody administered (day 0) immediately before the first of 5 daily fractions of 2-Gy, 320-kilovolt peak x-rays; group 3, radiolabeled antibody administered after the fifth radiation fraction (day 5); and group 4, radiolabeled antibody administered 5 d after irradiation (day 10). Tumors were excised 5 d after antibody administration. Tumors were frozen and sectioned for histology and phosphor plate autoradiography. The percentage of A33 antigen-expressing cells was estimated by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The average tumor uptake values relative to control group 1 were 1.47 (group 2), 0.78 (group 3), and 0.21 (group 4), which illustrates that tumor uptake is increased by almost 50% when the antibody is present in the blood at the start of irradiation. Five days into a fractionated irradiation protocol, antibody uptake was reduced, falling more significantly on day 10. Phosphor plate autoradiographs showed decreased uptake uniformity for groups 3 and 4. Immunohistochemical data showed a reduction in A33 antigen-positive cells from 85%, 64%, 50%, to 41% for groups 1-4, respectively. CONCLUSION: Maximum radiolabeled antibody tumor uptake was achieved when the antibody was administered just before radiation therapy. This might be explained by a transient increase in capillary leakage to macromolecules, followed by a reduction at later times, possibly the result of capillary damage and occlusion.

Animals↗

Utility of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography scanning on selection of patients for resection of hepatic colorectal metastases.

BACKGROUND: Hepatectomy represents a standard and potentially curative therapy for hepatic colorectal metastases. However, up to two thirds of patients explored for resection are found to have unsuspected disease, which precludes resection. METHODS: In order to determine if 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may prevent unnecessary surgery, a group of 40 patients being considered for hepatic resection but at high risk for unresectable disease by clinical criteria were subjected to whole body 18F-FDG-PET scanning. Effect on clinical outcome was evaluated. In addition, PET findings in the 25 patients who underwent resection of hepatic metastases were directly compared with the resected specimen to determine the sensitivity of 18F-FDG PET scanning in the liver. RESULTS: Findings on 18F-FDG-PET scanning influenced the clinical management in 16 patients (40%) and directly altered management in 9 cases (23%). Six patients were spared laparotomy, and 3 others had PET-directed surgery that found extrahepatic tumor and spared the patient unwarranted liver resection. In 3 cases PET missed peritoneal metastases found on laparotomy. In these cases all missed tumors were less than 1 cm in size. Out of 52 resected hepatic lesions, 18F-FDG-PET detected 37. Within the liver, sensitivity of detection was also related to size. Only 25% of hepatic lesions smaller than 1 cm were detected by PET, while 85% of lesions larger than 1 cm were detected. CONCLUSIONS: FDG-PET is best for detecting extrahepatic disease. There are few false positives, and surgeons should carefully evaluate and biopsy extrahepatic positive sites. This test should be used for patients at high risk for extrahepatic disease and should be evaluated prospectively for all patients under consideration for liver resection.

Adult↗

Effects of obstetrician gender on communication and patient satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: To describe patient-obstetrician communication during the first prenatal visit and its relationship to physician gender and patient satisfaction. METHODS: The first prenatal visit of 87 women with 21 obstetricians (11 male and ten female) was audiotaped and analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. Patient satisfaction was measured by postvisit questionnaire. RESULTS: Communication during first prenatal visits was largely biomedical, with little psychosocial or social discussion. Male physicians conducted longer visits than females (26 minutes versus 21.9 minutes, P < .05) and engaged in more facilitative communication (ie, making sure they were understood and providing direction and orientation) and explicit statements of concern and partnership (z > 1.96, P < .05). Female physicians devoted more communication to agreements, disagreements, and laughter than males (z > 1.96, P < .05). Satisfaction with physicians' emotional responsiveness and informational partnership was related to female physician gender and a variety of task-focused and affective communication variables. CONCLUSION: Communication and satisfaction between women and obstetricians during initial prenatal visits is related to physician gender and patient satisfaction. Male physicians conducted longer visits but women were more satisfied with female physicians.

Adult↗

Measurement of P-glycoprotein expression in human neuroblastoma xenografts using in vitro quantitative autoradiography.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has a role in multidrug resistance (MDR) encountered in human cancers. In this study, we used the colchicine-resistant cell line BE(2)-C/CHCb(0.2), a strain of neuroblastoma cell line BE(2)-C, as a model to measure variations of P-gp expression in cells grown in vitro and in vivo. Cells were cultured in the medium supplemented with colchicine. At the beginning of the study the drug was withdrawn and, after 22 days, added back to the culture medium. Cells were harvested at various time points and xenografted in nude mice. P-gp content in cells was measured by self-competitive binding assay and in tumors, by quantitative autoradiography (QAR). Both assays were carried out using 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody MRK16, reactive with P-gp. Concentration of P-gp in cells varied from a maximum of 1,361 pmol/g in the presence of colchicine to a minimum of 374 pmol/g in the absence of colchicine in the culture medium. P-gp concentration in the tumors ranged from 929 to 188 pmol/g, which correlated with P-gp content in the cells at the time of their injection in the mice. QAR is an accurate and reliable method to quantify P-gp expression in tumors. Changes in colchicine concentration in the ambient medium of BE(2)-C/CHCb(0.2) cells growing in vitro resulted in a change in phenotype of P-gp expression, which was stable under conditions of in vivo growth over approximately 9 cell divisions in nude mice xenografts. Therefore, P-gp content in xenografts depends only on the level of resistance of the cells at the time of their injection in the mice.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

99mTc-monoclonal antibody radiolabeled via hydrazino nicotinamide derivative for imaging disialoganglioside G(D2)-positive tumors.

3F8 is a murine IgG3 monoclonal antibody (MAb) selective for the ganglioside G(D2). Previous studies using 131I-3F8 have shown great potential in the imaging of neuroectodermal tumors and the therapy of human neuroblastoma. 131I is commonly used in radioimmunodiagnosis, but its relatively long half-life (8 days) and its high energy gamma-emission (364 KeV) are suboptimal for imaging purposes when compared with 99mTc (6 h and 140 KeV, respectively). To label 3F8 with 99mTc, the antibody was first coupled with a heterobifunctional linker, succinimidyl-6-hydrazinonicotinate hydrochloride (SHNH), obtaining a hydrazinonicotinamide-antibody conjugate. Using 99mTc-Tricine as the precursor complex, 3F8-SHNH was coupled efficiently to 99mTc, resulting in >90% radiometal incorporation, with a specific activity >10 mCi/mg and retaining full immunoreactivity. Immunoscintigraphy at 6, 22, and 46 h after intravenous injection of 1 mCi of 99mTc-3F8 showed selective neuroblastoma localization in xenografted nude mice, comparable to that obtained with the injection of 100 microCi of 131I-3F8. Biodistribution studies of 131I-3F8 and 99mTc-3F8 in mice demonstrated comparable %ID/g uptake in tumor (with a T/B ratio: approximately 2.5 at 24 h and approximately 3.5 at 48 h) and normal organs, including blood, except for spleen and liver which had about a three times higher uptake of the 99mTc conjugate. In conclusion, 99mTc can be coupled conveniently at high specific activity to 3F8 without compromising immunoreactivity. SHNH appears to be a useful linker for 99mTc in tumor diagnostic imaging and may have potential utility in coupling other radioisotopes (e.g., 94mTc) for positron imaging and therapy.

Animals↗

A general approach to the non-invasive imaging of transgenes using cis-linked herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase.

Non-invasive imaging of gene expression opens new prospects for the study of transgenic animals and the implementation of genetically based therapies in patients. We have sought to establish a general paradigm to enable whole body non-invasive imaging of any transgene. We show that the expression and imaging of HSV1-tk (a marker gene) can be used to monitor the expression of the LacZ gene (a second gene) under the transcriptional control of a single promoter within a bicistronic unit that includes a type II internal ribosomal entry site. In cells bearing a single copy of the vector, the expression of the two genes is proportional and constant, both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene accurately reflects the topology and activity of the other cis-linked transgene.

Animals↗

Prognostic significance of extent of disease in bone in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognostic significance of a bone scan index (BSI) based on the weighted proportion of tumor involvement in individual bones, in relation to other factors and to survival in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Baseline radionuclide bone scans were reviewed in 191 assessable patients with androgen-independent disease who were enrolled onto an open, randomized trial of liarozole versus prednisone. The extent of skeletal involvement was assessed by scoring each scan using the BSI and independently according to the number of metastatic lesions. The relationship of the scored bone involvement to other known prognostic factors was explored in single- and multiple-variable analyses. RESULTS: In single-variable analyses, the pretreatment factors found to be associated with survival were age (P = .0446), performance status (P = .0005), baseline prostate-specific antigen (P = .0001), hemoglobin (P = .0001), alkaline phosphatase (P = .0002), AST (P = .0021), lactate dehydrogenase (P = .0001), and treatment (P = .0098). The extent of osseous disease was significant using both the BSI (P = .0001) and the number of lesions present (P = .0001). In multiple-variable proportional hazards analyses, only BSI, age, hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, and treatment arm were associated with survival. When the patient population was divided into three equal groups, with BSI values of < 1.4%, 1.4% to 5.1%, and > 5.1%, median survivals of 18.3, 15.5, and 8.1 months, respectively, were observed (P = .0079). CONCLUSION: The BSI quantifies the extent of skeletal involvement by tumor. It allows the identification of patients with distinct prognoses for stratification in clinical trials. Further study is needed to assess the utility of serial BSI determinations in monitoring treatment effects. The BSI may be particularly useful in the evaluation of agents for which prostate-specific antigen changes do not reflect clinical outcomes accurately.

Aged↗

[18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography localizes residual thyroid cancer in patients with negative diagnostic (131)I whole body scans and elevated serum thyroglobulin levels.

Progressive dedifferentiation of thyroid cancer cells leads to a loss of iodine-concentrating ability, with resultant false negative, whole body radioactive iodine scans in approximately 20% of all differentiated metastatic thyroid cancer lesions. We tested the hypothesis that all metastatic thyroid cancer lesions that did not concentrate iodine, but did produce thyroglobulin (Tg), could be localized by [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET). We performed FDG-PET on 37 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer after surgery and radioiodine ablation who had negative diagnostic 131I whole body scans during routine follow-up. Serum Tg, Tg autoantibodies, neck ultrasounds, and other clinically indicated imaging procedures were performed to detect residual disease. In those with elevated Tg levels, FDG-PET localized occult disease in 71%, was false positive in one, and was false negative in five patients. The majority of false negative FDG-PET occurred in patients with minimal cervical adenopathy. Surgical resections, biopsies, 131 therapy, and differentiation therapy were performed based on the PET results. The FDG-PET result changed the clinical management in 19 of the 37 patients. In patients with elevated Tg levels, FDG-PET had a positive predictive value of 92%. In patients with low Tg levels, FDG-PET had a negative predictive value of 93%. No FDG-PET scans were positive in stage I patients; however, they were always positive in stage IV patients with elevated Tg levels. An elevated TSH level (i.e. hypothyroidism) did not increase the ability to detect lesions. FDG-PET is able to localize residual thyroid cancer lesions in patients who have negative diagnostic 131I whole body scans and elevated Tg levels, although it was not sensitive enough to detect minimal residual disease in cervical nodes.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗

Rhenium-186-labeled hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate dosimetry and dosing guidelines for the palliation of skeletal metastases from androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Rhenium-186 (tin)-labeled hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate (186Re-labeled HEDP) was evaluated in 27 men with progressive androgen-independent prostate cancer and bone metastases. Administered activities ranged from 1251 to 4336 MBq (33.8-117.2 mCi). The primary objectives were to assess tumor targeting, normal organ dosimetry, and safety. Antitumor effects were assessed by posttherapy changes in prostate-specific antigen and, when present, palliation of pain. Whole-body kinetics, blood and kidney clearance, skeletal dose, marrow dose, and urinary excretion of the isotope were assessed. Targeting of skeletal disease was observed over the period of quantification (4-168 h). Radiation doses to whole body, bladder, and kidney were well tolerated. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression (grade III) at 4107 MBq (111 mCi) and grade II at 296 MBq (80 mCi). Probe clearance (whole body) and urinary excretion measurements were highly correlated. Of the six patients treated at the highest dosage schedules (three at 1510 MBq/m2 and three at 1665 MBq/m2), three showed a posttherapy decline in prostate-specific antigen of 50% or more. The declines were not sustained. The determination of total activity retained at 24 h, as well as an estimate of marrow dose, correlated with the amount of myelosuppression observed. These results suggest that a single 24-h measurement of retained activity would allow individualized dosing and an improved therapeutic index relative to fixed dosing schema. Repetitive dosing is required to increase palliation.

Androgens↗

Preparation of alpha-emitting 213Bi-labeled antibody constructs for clinical use.

UNLABELLED: Preclinical evaluation of alpha particle-emitting 213Bi-labeled antibody constructs have demonstrated the specificity and potency of these agents in a variety of cancer systems. The transition of a 213Bi-radiolabeled antibody from a preclinical construct to a clinical drug represented a difficult task that involved development of reliable and validated methods to provide multiple MBq quantities of a pure, immunoreactive agent that met pharmaceutical standards to treat patients. METHODS: The methods used for the preparation of (213Bi)CHX-A-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-HuM195, an alpha particle-emitting anti-CD33 antibody construct for therapy of myeloid leukemias, is used as a specific example. This article describes methods for reagent purification, drug labeling, radioprotection and chromatographic purification. Quality of the drug is evaluated using radiochemical incorporation and purity assays with instant thin-layer chromatography (ITLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), determination of cell-based antibody total immunereactivity, small animal safety, pyrogen level, sterility and radionuclidic purity. RESULTS: Sixty-seven doses were prepared. Individual doses ranged from 148 to 814 MBq. Specific activities ranged from 329 to 766 MBq/mg. The radiolabeling efficiency (median +/- SD) of CHX-A-DTPA-HuM195 with 213Bi was 81% +/- 9% (n = 67) after 9 min. The construct was purified by size-exclusion chromatography and was found to be 99% +/- 2% pure (n = 67) by either ITLC or HPLC methods. The immunoreactivity of (213Bi)CHX-A-DTPA-HuM195 was 89% +/- 9% (n = 44) and was independent of the specific activity. The formulated pharmaceutical was found to contain < or =4 +/- 1 EU/mL pyrogens (n = 66); all samples examined were sterile. An 225Ac radionuclidic impurity was present at a level of 0.04 +/- 0.03 x 10(-6)/mL (n = 10) in a product volume of 7.4 +/- 0.5 mL (n = 67). Each of the 67 doses was injected intravenously into patients without complication as part of a phase I clinical trial. CONCLUSION: These data show that 213Bi-labeled antibody constructs can be prepared and administered safely to humans at a wide range of therapeutic levels.

Actinium↗

131I radioimmunotherapy and fractionated external beam radiotherapy: comparative effectiveness in a human tumor xenograft.

UNLABELLED: This article compares the effectiveness of radiation delivered by a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, 131I-labeled A33, that targets colorectal carcinoma, with that of 10 fractions of conventional 320 kVp x-rays. METHODS: Human colorectal cancer xenografts (SW1222) ranging between 0.14 and 0.84 g were grown in nude mice. These were treated either with escalating activities (3.7-18.5 MBq) of 131I-labeled A33 or 10 fractions of 320 kVp x-rays (fraction sizes from 1.5 to 5 Gy). Tumor dosimetry was determined from a similar group of tumor-bearing animals by serial kill, tumor resection and counting of radioactivity in a gamma counter. The relative effectiveness of the two radiation therapy treatment approaches was compared in terms of tumor regrowth delay and probability of tumor cure. RESULTS: The absorbed dose to tumor per MBq administered was estimated as 3.7 Gy (+/-1 Gy; 95% confidence interval). We observed a close to linear increase in tumor regrowth delay with escalating administered activity. Equitumor response of 1311 monoclonal antibody A33 was observed at average radiation doses to the tumor three times greater than when delivered by fractionated external beam radiotherapy. The relationship between the likelihood of tumor cure and administered activity was less predictable than that for regrowth delay. CONCLUSION: The relative effectiveness per unit dose of radiation therapy delivered by 131I-labeled A33 monoclonal antibodies was approximately one third of that produced by fractionated external beam radiotherapy, when measured by tumor regrowth delay.

Animals↗

Positron emission tomography imaging of colorectal cancer.

Continued improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer are based on a clearer understanding of the pathophysiological processes underlying the disease and how it affects the patient. The addition of information derived from fluorine-18-labeled deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans to the cross-sectional imaging data enables a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease process. In particular, FDG PET scans are capable of demonstrating disease that mimics normal structures on conventional imaging, as well as finding disease in otherwise normal-sized lymph nodes. Abnormal areas of FDG uptake in the setting of known colorectal cancer are almost always due to recurrent disease. In addition, FDG PET offers great promise in the evaluation of treatment response, particularly as more targeted therapies become available. This report covers the basic principles underlying PET imaging, including the biochemistry of FDG and methods of PET analysis. We then, review the clinical indications for FDG PET scanning in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗