Radioimmunotherapy--a potential novel tool for pancreatic cancer therapy?

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most severe cancers and is predicted to rise up to the number two cancer killer by 2030. The ineffective treatment options available and that the cancer is silent until very late in its course are the main reasons for the poor outcome of the disease. Surgery is the only curative option but only available for 10-15 % of the patients, but even then many relapse due to metastases. Many new treatments are under way, and one of the promising ones is radioimmunotherapy (RIT). This review includes clinical trials with RIT in pancreatic cancer as well as a review of adverse events observed during treatment of other solid tumors. Additionally, preclinical studies are reviewed with emphasis on effect, adverse events, the tumor targeting as well as isotope function. Four clinical trials with pancreatic cancer have been conducted with positive results, and one phase III trial is underway. The use of RIT in patients with solid tumors has proven to be well tolerated, and the adverse effects are almost exclusively hematological. Multiple targets and isotopes have been evaluated preclinically, alone, or in combination with existing drug options. Smaller tumors have in several studies completely regressed, while larger ones have stabilized or progressed more slowly. Pancreatic cancer is one of the solid tumors where RIT have reached the longest. The tumor heterogeneity will most likely leave room for more than one treatment option, and several aspiring therapies are under way. RIT may become part of multimodality tumor-directed therapy for pancreatic cancer.