'Image and treat': an individualized approach to urological tumors.
OBJECTIVE
The current treatment options for advanced urologic cancers demonstrate limited efficacy. To obtain optimal clinical results, there is a need for new, individualized, therapeutic strategies, which have only recently been applied to these malignancies. Nuclear medicine plays an important role in establishing imaging biomarkers necessary for personalized medicine. This review focuses on the current status of the 'image and treat' approach combining molecular imaging with targeted radionuclide therapy of urological malignancies


RESULTS
Tumor-specific targets in uro-oncology are showing promising results for development of personalized therapy using positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) molecular imaging and radioimmunotherapy. The antibody cG250, which binds to carbonic anhydrase IX, is being evaluated as a radiolabeled imaging and therapeutic agent in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. I-cG250 PET/CT has demonstrated excellent targeting of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma. Prostate-specific membrane antigen is a promising target for both PET/CT and radioimmunotherapy of prostate cancer. HER2 may be another potential target in bladder and prostate cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor-specific targets and biomarkers are being studied for PET/CT and radioimmunotherapy. This may lead to development of new therapeutic strategies. However, considerable investment in new research will be required for personalized medicine to be routinely used in uro-oncology.
Bouchelouche
Kirsten
K
PET and Cyclotron Unit, PET 3982 Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. bouchelouche@mail.tele.dk
Capala
Jacek
J
D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy
D011868:Radioisotopes