Radioimmunotherapy in the treatment of malignant astrocytomas

The poor prognosis of patients diagnosed with malignant astrocytomas and the failure of conventional therapies to significantly impact the course of this disease have resulted in the development of a number of experimental adjuvant therapies, including radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Certain human gliomas have been associated with an overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Radiolabeled antibodies that target these receptors and are quickly internalized can effectively deliver ionizing radiation to ensure tumor cell kill, particularly to residual tumor masses unaffected by standard treatment regimens. The fundamental components integrated for this evolving adjuvant therapy are detailed and key current experimental studies using RIT are described. Evaluation of the current radioimmunotherapeutic results indicates that certain radiolabeled MAbs have a role in the diagnosis and/or treatment of malignant gliomas.