title: CuTira brachytherapy: a new combination of radioactive copper isotopes and the hypoxic cytotoxin, tirapazamine, for targeted tumor therapy.
abstract: We previously showed a significant enhancement of tirapazamine-induced cytotoxicity and DNA damage after binding with copper. This result suggests that conjugates of tirapazamine with radioactive copper, i.e., 64Cu and 67Cu, may offer potential for targeted therapy of a wide range of advanced stage tumors including a possible treatment for patients with solitary hepatocellular carcinoma by intrahepatic arterial infusion. Major supporting considerations include: (a) tirapazamine having a high selective toxicity against hypoxic cells; (b) the nature of radioactive decay of these copper isotopes and obtainable high specific activity; and (c) simple procedure for the production of copper-tirapazamine complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, USA.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077704:Tirapazamine; D014227:Triazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D014227:Triazines; D000077704:Tirapazamine