Radiopharmaceuticals: A New Era in Cancer Therapy-Light on Initial Findings on Animal Model

Abstract

In recent years, the worldwide cancer burden has increased dramatically. The treatment modalities for cancer are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy using anticancer drugs. Other treatment options include immunotherapy, stem cell transplantation, photodynamic therapy, etc. Even though available therapies offer a significant protective effect, scientists are still seeking a breakthrough in cancer treatment. One such therapeutic approach is radiopharmaceutical therapy, treating cancer with known medicinal radio compounds. Numerous radiopharmaceuticals with anticancer potential have a broad scope in cancer research and drug development. But, the development of a novel radiopharmaceutical must fulfil stringent regulatory criteria, which means that its physiochemical and biological qualities and therapeutic potential must be validated in animal models before it can be used in clinical trials. This chapter discusses the importance of radiopharmaceuticals, their dosimetry, biological properties, transition from diagnostic to therapeutic importance, challenges, animal models, preclinical assessment, and the recent advances that are being adopted in the field of radiopharmaceutical cancer research. Hence, this chapter will be very helpful for clinicians and researchers who are working with therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.