Positron emitting 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose:: potential hot new therapy

Preclinical studies suggest that F-18-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (F-18-FDG) kills breast cancer cells without significant marrow toxicity or parenchymal toxicity. Radiation dose calculations estimated from fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images in women with metastatic disease indicate that F-18-FDG should be a feasible and safe option in humans. Because the available radiotherapeutic agents, strontium 89 and samarium 153 provide palliation to a limited population of women with bony metastases, new radiopharmaceutical agents with broader applicability are needed. The development of F-18-FDG as the first positron-emitting radiotherapeutic has the potential to be an innovative treatment, not only in osteoblastic disease, but also in osteolytic disease and in soft tissue metastases.