Molecular radionuclide therapy (MRNT) of neuroendocrine tumours and breast cancer: Novel treatment strategies

Molecular radionuclide (radiopharmaceutical) therapy (MRNT) is a promising way to treat patients with spread tumour disease that are difficult to cure by current methods.

Aim: to improve or introduce MRNT of tumours overexpressing receptors and transporters, such as neuroendocrine tumours, low differentiated thyroid cancer, and malignant breast cancer, all of them tumour types difficult to cure with the treatment modalities used today Work plan: Therapy studies on tumour-bearing mice to find methods to1) Patient-specific MRNT scheduling (optimal target vector, radiopharmaceutical, application on new tumour types, as well as results from issues 2-4)2) Increase tumour target expression (fractionation, radiation and drug)3) Increase MRNT effect by combination with drugs/radiosensitizers4) Reduce late side effects on normal tissues, especially kidneysMechanisms behind effects are studied by genomics/proteomics.

Early responding biomarkers for tumour response and side effects are defined and validated.Studies are performed on all these issues simultaneously.The project is multidisciplinary and includes experts in e.g. radiation therapy, tumour biology/pathology, surgery, molecular genetics/biology, radiobiology, radiochemistry, etc.

Significance: to enhance the cure rate of cancer patients with otherwise bad prognosis.

New knowledge generated by the project can be valuable also for improvement of radionuclide and radiation therapy of other tumour types in the future.