Radioimmunotherapy

The aim of Cancer therapy is to achieve a cure, bring the disease under control, and prevent its recurrence and to mitigate or ease the symptoms caused by the tumor cells. For treating the majority of the cancers, the primary approaches remain surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. But due to continuous advancement and research in the field of oncology, the cancer treatments are also being continually developed resulting in the availability of more effective and targeted treatments.

Radiation therapy or Radiotherapy is an important tool for treating cancer and are often used in combination with other therapies such as surgery or chemotherapy. The primary aim of radiotherapy is to shrink tumors by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and kill cancer cells by inducing DNA double-strand breaks; which interrupts their ability to reproduce causing them to die. Apart from its primary action, Radiotherapy is also known to have a number of immunological effects, the manipulation of which could enhance clinical potency. With the development of approaches to therapeutically exploit the immunomodulatory capacity of tumors, a range of immunotherapeutic approaches for inducing and enhancing robust, protective anti-tumor immunity has emerged. Combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy (radioimmunotherapy) therefore has significant clinical importance.

Radioimmunotherapy is generally used to treat non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma but other types of cancer can also be treated effectively. The procedure employs the engineered monoclonal Antibodies (MAbs) paired with radioactive substances called radiotracers. The engineered Monoclonal antibodies recognize and bind to the surface of cancer cells, and mimics the antibodies which are naturally produced by the body’s immune system to attack the invading foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. When paired with the radiotracers and injected into the bloodstream, they travel to and binds to cancer cells, allowing a high dose of radiation to be delivered directly to the tumor.

The advantages associated with Radioimmunotherapy are:

1. Targets and then delivers radiation directly to the affected cells, hence healthy cells remain unaffected.
2. Minimizes side effects associated with most high-dose of chemotherapy sessions.
3. Usually delivered over a shorter period of time (seven to nine days).

With further research for the better understanding of radiation and its combination with immunotherapies, the outcome of the treatment is more likely to be improved.