During the last decade, major progress has been made in the treatment of disease with radioisotopes. Treatments involving the use of medical isotopes are gaining momentum in the race against many types of cancer. FDA approved and highly promising therapies are doubling every 3 to 4 years. Some researchers predict that over 80% of cancer types should be treatable with radioisotopes.
Currently the most common therapeutic uses of medical isotopes are for treatment of thyroid and prostate cancer, hyperthyroidism, cancer bone pain, and polycythaemia (abnormal red cell and blood increase). The major use in Europe is for treatment of arthritis (The U.S. FDA has not yet approved radioisotope treatments for arthritis).
Some of the most exciting cancer treatments utilizing medical isotopes are emerging from current research being conducted on cutting-edge medical applications. As research physicians test these promising radioisotope-based treatments at research hospitals and universities they gradually make their way up the ladder of clinical trials required for FDA approval.
Certain experimental treatments have had such remarkable success that current cancer sufferers should be made aware of their potential (Pete, Peter, 2002). Lives have been saved in numerous cases of patients with fatal brain tumors, lymphomas and leukemia. In several clinical trials testing experimental treatments, very positive results were achieved on patients who had exhausted all other treatment options with no success.
Central to the progress of new radioisotope treatments has been the invention of unique and effective "delivery systems" which enable physicians to point the selected isotope directly at the diseased tissue. One of the most promising is called radioimmunotherapy (Pete, Peter, 2002). In this technique, radioisotopes are attached to antibodies with a specific affinity for certain cells in the body. The antibodies guide the isotope to the cancer cells where the radioisotope then destroys them.........
