title: Role of [131I]metaiodobenzylguanidine therapy in medullary thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: In recent years several radiopharmaceuticals have become available, offering new possibilities for the diagnosis and therapy of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). For the diagnosis and follow-up 201TI-chloride and 99mTc(V)-DMSA are the tracers of choice. Imaging with [131I]metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) and 131I-anti-CEA or anti-calcitonin antibodies or fragments is less sensitive but very specific. These tracers can be used to evaluate their potential therapeutic use. Cumulative reported data on the diagnostic use of 131I-MIBG in 178 MTC patients indicate that overall 34.5% of medullary cancers concentrate MIBG. At The Netherlands Cancer Institute 131I-MIBG scintigraphy was positive in 8 of 23 patients with MTC. Four of these patients have received therapeutic amounts of 131I-MIBG, resulting in 1 partial remission and meaningful palliation in 3 patients with metastatic MTC. It is concluded that, although the preliminary experience suggests that the objective response of MTC to 131I-MIBG therapy is limited, the palliation provided to these patients, for whom there is little other treatment, may be very meaningful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hoefnagel
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Delprat
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*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007462:Iodobenzenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007462:Iodobenzenes; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine