Radiopharmaceuticals is a radioactive compound or radioisotope labelled compounds or antibodies (also called as “radioligands”), developed for the diagnosis and therapy of various diseases.
Radioligands, also known as RLT or Radioligand Therapy, are a new tool in the diagnose and treatment of cancers such as neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), and prostate cancer. Radioligands work like cancer-seeking missiles – the ligand seeks out and binds to tumor cells, and the radioactive molecule destroys the tumor cells’ DNA.
Radioligands therapy is a new modality developed for the precision diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Supported by a growing body of evidence demonstrating clear efficacy and therapeutic advantages in select cancer types, some radiopharmaceuticals have already been approved by the U.S. FDA.
Moving forward, radiopharmaceuticals will continue its accelerating clinical adoption and become one of the mainstream modalities in cancer treatment, offering patients with significant survival benefit.
1Radiopharmaceuticals composed of targeting ligands, linkers, chelators, and radioactive isotopes
2Targeted transportation of radioisotopes or labelled compound to the diseased tissue or cells, and active uptake of radioactive substance by the diseased tissue or cells
3Emitting α and β radiations that can potently kill tumor cells.