Theranostics integrates molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy - a concept that is already in clinical use for the treatment of various types of cancer. A position paper from the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), written under the leadership of Matthias Preusser from MedUni Vienna, summarises the potential of this concept for the treatment of brain tumours. The paper was recently published in "The Lancet Oncology".
Theranostics, a combination of therapy and diagnostics, is playing an increasingly important role in precision medicine. Theranostic treatments have already proven effective in randomised clinical trials and are approved for the personalised treatment of prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumours. The authors of the EORTC position paper see potential in this concept for the treatment of brain tumours such as gliomas, meningiomas and brain metastases from lung, breast or skin cancer. "There is a great clinical need for new treatment options for these tumours," emphasises Matthias Preusser, Head of the Division of Oncology at MedUni Vienna’s Department of Medicine I. Despite major advances in recent years, the mortality rate for patients with brain tumours remains high.
Opportunities and problems for the new clinical application are presented by the authors of the position paper. In addition, considerations for the effective planning and implementation of clinical studies on the theranostic treatment concept for brain tumours are made and logistical as well as regulatory challenges in the implementation of radionuclide therapies in neuro-oncological practice are discussed. "Rational development will foster the successful translation of the theranostic concept to brain tumours," says Matthias Preusser. Towards the end of the year and coordinated by Preusser, the EORTC network plans to launch the world’s first prospective randomised study, which will investigate theranostic therapy for recurrent meningiomas in 35 centres in ten European countries, including Austria (LUMEN-1, NCT06326190).
The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit cancer research organisation based in Brussels. The aim of the EORTC is to coordinate and conduct international translational and clinical research in order to further develop and improve cancer therapies. A specialised EORTC committee has developed the position paper as part of a strategic survey, literature review and consensus building among its multidisciplinary and international expert members.
Publication: The Lancet Oncology
Translating the theranostic concept to neuro-oncology: disrupting barriers.
Nathalie L. Albert, Emilie Le Rhun, Giuseppe Minniti, Maximilian J. Mair, Norbert Galldiks, Nelleke Tolboom, Asgeir S. Jakola, Maximilian Niyazi, Marion Smits, Antoine Verger, Francesco Cicone, Michael Weller, Matthias Preusser.
Doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00145-1
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(24)00145-1/fulltext
