Why bother with alpha particles?

A Paden King, Frank I Lin, Freddy E Escorcia

European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging 2021 Dec

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The approval of 223RaCl2 for cancer therapy in 2013 has heralded a resurgence of interest in the development of α-particle emitting radiopharmaceuticals. In the last decade, over a dozen α-emitting radiopharmaceuticals have entered clinical trials, spawned by strong preclinical studies. In this article, we explore the potential role of α-particle therapy in cancer treatment. We begin by providing a background for the basic principles of therapy with α-emitters, and we explore recent breakthroughs in therapy with α-emitting radionuclides, including conjugates with small molecules and antibodies. Finally, we discuss some outstanding challenges to the clinical adoption of α-therapies and potential strategies to address them. © 2021. This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.

Citation

A Paden King, Frank I Lin, Freddy E Escorcia. Why bother with alpha particles? European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. 2021 Dec;49(1):7-17