Immuno-PET in oncology

Question 1

What is FES-PET?

Answer 1

A PET scan that uses a radionuclide (18-F) bound to estradiol (18F-fluorestradiol) to image breast cancer. 18F-fluorestradiol will spread to places in the body where estrogen receptors are located.

Question 2

For what can FES-PET be used in the clinic?

Answer 2

• Diagnosis
• Therapy selection
• Pharmacodynamic effects

Question 3

What is the definition of immunotherapy against cancer?

Answer 3

Acitvation of the patients’ immune system to fight the cancer

Question 4

What do you need to take into consideration when choosing a radio-isotope?

Answer 4

• Half-life
• Speed of distribution of the tracer molecule

Question 5

Comparing PET to biopsy, what advantages and disadvantages of PET are there?

Answer 5

Advantages:
- whole body information
- non-invasive
- tumor heterogeneity
- repeat imaging
- in vivo information
- organs of toxicity

Disadvantages:
- radioactive burden
- low resolution
- only one target at a time
- PET signal is the sum of the blood fraction, fraction in the interstitial space and the target-mediated binding.

Question 6

Name things to take into consideration when developing an immunotherapy.

Answer 6

• Target availability
• Location of mode of action as well as toxicity
• Saturation of target
• (Changes in the) presence of immune cells