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Targeted, internal radiotherapy

Treating cancer with medical radioisotopes

Fighting cancer better

Targeted internal radiotherapy: this is the future of nuclear cancer treatment. These are drugs that deliver a radioactive isotope to the organ via a carrier molecule. There, they can attack the cancer cell very locally, causing the tumour to shrink or disappear. What about the healthy tissue around it?? That remains intact. Consequently, the side effects of cancer treatment are a lot smaller.

Targeted radiotherapy is already being used on patients, but development is still also in full swing. To accelerate innovation in this field, SCK CEN has set up its own cancer treatment research program.

💡 Want to know more? Read more here.

How does this targeted treatment work?

The radioactive drug is injected and spreads through the body via the bloodstream. The carrier molecules transport the radioisotopes to the cancer cells in the tumour and the ones in the metastases. Cancer cells in prostate cancer and its metastases, for example, have specific proteins on their cell surfaces. These proteins occur more often there than on the cell surfaces of healthy cells. They act as identification markers to which the carrier molecules can bond. The alpha or beta radiation emitted by the radioisotopes deposits a very large amount of energy locally, causing great damage to any nearby cancer cells. The radiation destroys the cancer cells, while sparing the healthy ones.


Testimonial by Francis Ligot

Francis Ligot has already undergone Targeted Radionuclide Therapy twice. Once defeated at the verdict of pancreatic cancer, he now embraces life like a bon vivant.

“Whether I would do it again, if I could? Without any hesitation! It was the most efficient treatment and I suffered no side effects. It has given me a bonus of years of life. I am one of the lucky ones to have enjoyed such a treatment, and I praise SCK CEN for its efforts to make the treatment accessible to all. Because believe me, there is nothing more precious than life itself.” – Francis Ligot

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Did you know...

medical radioisotopes have long been used for diagnoses?

Almost 7 million patients undergo a medical examination every year thanks to the Belgian production of molybdenum-99, one of the most-used radioisotopes in nuclear medicine for making diagnoses. SCK CEN contributes with its knowledge, experience and the BR2 to earlier diagnoses of different diseasesThanks to BR2, Belgium is among the handful of world players in the production and distribution of medical radioisotopes for diagnosis.

What other cancer treatments exist besides internal radiotherapy?

  • Also called 'radiation therapy' and the most common treatment. The doctor adjusts the radiation device to the spot in your body that needs to be irradiated with high-energy particles or waves meant to destroy or damage cancer cells.

    SCK CEN specialises in this cancer treatment.

  • Some tumours need hormones to grow. Hormonal therapy inhibits or blocks the action of hormones or causes our bodies to make fewer hormones. That means the cancerous cells do not survive as well or die off.
     
    This therapy does not use ionising radiation.

  • Some tumours need hormones to grow. Hormonal therapy inhibits or blocks the action of hormones or causes our bodies to make fewer hormones. That means the cancerous cells do not survive as well or die off.
     
    This therapy does not use ionising radiation.

  • Immunotherapy is a medicinal treatment that helps the natural immune system to recognise and destroy cancerous cells. It does not act directly on the tumour, like chemotherapy, for example, but helps your body to clean up the cancerous cells itself.

    This therapy does not use ionising radiation.

  • Chemotherapy is a medicinal treatment that kills cancerous cells or inhibits cell division. The medicines spread through the body via the blood, reaching almost all places with cancerous cells.

    This therapy does not use ionising radiation.

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