Why bother with alpha particles?

King, A Paden; Lin, Frank I; Escorcia, Freddy E · Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging · 2021

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Abstract

The approval of <sup>223</sup>RaCl<sub>2</sub> 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.

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