Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy, a potential cancer treatment

Radioimmunotherapy is often limited by radiation toxicity due to the long-circulating radiolabeled antibody. Pretargeted radioimmunotherapy is used to minimize this toxicity by separating the long-circulating antibody and the rapidly cleared radionuclide. Although results from animal studies and clinical trials are promising, they have also raised many questions. Preclinical and clinical experiences will foster an indepth understanding of pretargeted radioimmunotherapy as an alternative choice for cancer treatment. Breakthroughs in recombinant DNA technology and protein engineering, the discovery of alpha particle radionuclides and their applications and the concerns in designing human clinical trials together will expedite the use of pretargeted radioimmunotherapy in the clinical setting for cancer treatment.