Therapeutic Radiotherapy PDF

Therapeutic nuclear medicine Therapeutic nuclear medicine Therapeutic nuclear medicine involves the use of radionuclides to treat diseases, primarily cancer. Unlike diagnostic nuclear medicine, which focuses on imaging, therapeutic nuclear medicine aims to destroy or control disease. Differen...

Therapeutic nuclear medicine Therapeutic nuclear medicine Therapeutic nuclear medicine involves the use of radionuclides to treat diseases, primarily cancer. Unlike diagnostic nuclear medicine, which focuses on imaging, therapeutic nuclear medicine aims to destroy or control disease. Different kinds of treatment: Radiotherapy: The use of radiation to treat cancer. Radioimmunotherapy: A type of cancer treatment that uses radioactive antibodies. Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT): A targeted therapy using radioactive peptides to treat certain cancers.  Key radionuclides: Iodine-131: Primarily used for treating thyroid disorders, including hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. Yttrium-90: Employed in radioimmunotherapy for various cancers, such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Samarium-153: Used for pain relief in bone metastases from prostate cancer. Lutetium-177: Widely used in peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer. Radium-223: Used for the treatment of bone metastases in prostate cancer  Chemo vs Radiation Therapy When do we use Radiation therapy? The decision to use radiotherapy or chemotherapy depends on several factors, including the type, stage, and location of the cancer, as well as the patient's overall health. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often used in conjunction for best Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is often preferred when: The cancer is localized: Radiotherapy is highly effective at targeting specific areas, making it ideal for tumours that haven't spread. The cancer is sensitive to radiation: Some cancers respond better to radiation than others. Other treatments are not suitable: Patients with certain medical conditions may not be able to tolerate chemotherapy. The goal is to relieve symptoms: Radiotherapy can help manage pain caused by bone metastases or other cancer-related symptoms.  Examples of cancers often treated with radiotherapy: Prostate cancer Breast cancer Head and neck cancers Lung cancer Cervical cancer Additional info - Chemo Chemotherapy is often the preferred treatment when: Cancer has spread: If the cancer has spread to multiple parts of the body (metastasis), chemotherapy can target cancer cells throughout the body. Cancer cells are rapidly dividing: Chemotherapy is effective against rapidly dividing cells, which is a characteristic of many cancer types The cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy drugs: Certain types of cancer respond better to chemotherapy than others. To reduce the risk of cancer recurrence: Chemotherapy can be used after surgery or radiation to lower the chance of the cancer coming back How does radiation therapy work? Therapeutic radionuclides work by delivering radiation directly to diseased cells, causing cell death. This targeted approach minimizes damage to healthy tissues. Beta-emitters: Emit beta particles, which have a short range, making them suitable for treating tumours with a limited size. Alpha-emitters: Emit alpha particles, which have a very short range but high energy, leading to significant cell damage. Therapeutic radiotherapy techniques: Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) Radionuclide Therapy for Bone Metastases Radionuclide Brachytherapy Radioembolization Targeted alpha therapy Radioimmunothe rapy Principle: Involves attaching a radionuclide to an antibody specific to a cancer cell antigen. Process: The radiolabelled antibody binds to cancer cells, delivering radiation directly to the tumour. Example: Treatment of non- Hodgkin's lymphoma Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) Principle: Similar to RIT, but uses peptides that bind to specific receptors on cancer cells. Process: A radionuclide is attached to a peptide and delivered to cancer cells. Example: Treatment of neuroendocrine tumours.  Peptide Receptor Radioimmunother Radionuclide Feature apy (RIT) Therapy (PRRT) Carrier Molecule Antibody Peptide Specific cell surface Target Cancer cell antigen receptor Neuroendocrine tumours, prostate Tumor Primarily lymphomas cancer, and some other Types and leukemias solid tumours Delivery Typically intravenous Mechanism injection Intravenous injection