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. 2021 Dec;49(1):7-17.
doi: 10.1007/s00259-021-05431-y. Epub 2021 Jun 27.

Why bother with alpha particles?

A Paden King  1   2 , Frank I Lin  1 , Freddy E Escorcia  3   4
Affiliations

Why bother with alpha particles?

A Paden King et al. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

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.

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