title: Targeted radionuclide therapy in head and neck cancer.
abstract: There is great potential for targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) in the treatment of head and neck cancer. In recent years, developments in fields such as antigen screening, protein engineering, and cancer biology have facilitated the rational design of targeted pharmaceuticals, with monoclonal antibodies forming the most rapidly expanding category. TRT may be a promising way to improve targeted treatment, especially in head and neck cancer, because of the intrinsic radiosensitivity of this tumor type. TRT may also provide a good foundation on which to build rational biologic combination therapies. In the next few years the use of TRT may offer new opportunities for further improvement of the therapeutic ratio that potentially may obviate or reduce the need for conventional cytotoxics.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Marika.Nestor@bms.uu.se
authors.forename: Marika V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Nestor
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011868:Radioisotopes; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor