Expanding Theranostic Radiopharmaceuticals for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy

Radioligand theranostics (RT) in oncology use cancer-type specific biomarkers and molecular imaging (MI), including positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and planar scintigraphy, for patient diagnosis, therapy, and personalized management. While the definition of theranostics was initially restricted to a single compound allowing visualization and therapy simultaneously, the concept has been widened with the development of theranostic pairs and the combination of nuclear medicine with different types of cancer therapies. Here, we review the clinical applications of different theranostic radiopharmaceuticals in managing different tumor types (differentiated thyroid, neuroendocrine prostate, and breast cancer) that support the combination of innovative oncological therapies such as gene and cell-based therapies with RT.

Automated summary

Radioligand theranostics in oncology utilize cancer-type specific biomarkers and molecular imaging for patient diagnosis, therapy, and personalized management. The concept has evolved with the development of theranostic pairs and the combination of nuclear medicine with different types of cancer therapies. The clinical applications of different theranostic radiopharmaceuticals in managing different tumor types support the combination of innovative oncological therapies such as gene and cell-based therapies with RT.