title: Role of [131I]metaiodobenzylguanidine therapy in carcinoids.
abstract: From cumulative reported data the sensitivity of [131I]metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) scintigraphy of carcinoids appears to be greater than 60%; at our Institute 131I-MIBG scintigrams were positive in 51 of 70 patients with metastatic carcinoid. Twenty patients with symptomatic, metastatic disease have received 7.4 GBq doses of 131I-MIBG for palliation. Most of these patients had multiple large metastases showing no response to other therapies. No objective response (greater than 50% tumor volume reduction) was ever observed; however, 13 patients were relieved of symptoms, such as flushes, diarrhea, anorexia and pain. Palliation in some of these patients was meaningful and long lasting. Possible explanations for a palliative effect in the absence of objective remission are discussed. Treatment with escalating doses of stable MIBG (up to 80 mg) in 9 patients does not support the hypothesis that the palliation is due to a purely pharmacological effect. Palliation might be explained by the observation that carcinoid liver metastases may present both as hot and cold lesions; 131I-MIBG therapy will thus target exclusively at metabolically active metastases, which are responsible for the patient's symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Netherlands Cancer Institute; Amsterdam.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hoefnagel
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Taal
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Valdés Olmos
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007462:Iodobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007462:Iodobenzenes; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine