Killing cancer cells with alpha particles could be the next frontier in treatment
Canadian cancer researchers are at the forefront of global efforts to test targeted alpha therapy, a groundbreaking new form of treatment that has the potential to revolutionize cancer care by attacking cancer at the cellular level. Targeted alpha therapy involves using radioactive alpha particles to shred the DNA of cancer cells, a method that researchers believe is more effective at killing tumours than existing treatments and less damaging to healthy tissue.
Although no targeted alpha therapy has been approved for use outside of clinical trials, several treatments are in the final stages of testing and could be ready for consideration by Health Canada and international regulators within the next few years. Researchers are particularly excited about the potential of targeted alpha therapy in treating pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancer, as well as the rarer neuroendocrine cancer.
Dr. François Bénard, a professor at the University of British Columbia and a distinguished scientist at the B.C. Cancer Research Institute, describes targeted alpha therapy as a new line of treatment that offers hope for cancer patients. This therapy has the potential to prolong life, reduce symptoms, and improve the overall well-being of those affected by cancer.
Targeted alpha therapy falls within the same category as radioligand therapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment that uses specially designed molecules to deliver radioactive particles to cancer cells. What sets targeted alpha therapy apart is the use of alpha particles, which emit more powerful radiation over a shorter range compared to the beta particles used in existing treatments.
Dr. Gerald Batist, the director of the Segal Cancer Centre at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital, is involved in several clinical trials testing targeted alpha therapy for various cancers. One of these trials involves embedding beads laden with alpha particles at the site of pancreatic cancer to treat prostate cancer. This method eliminates the need for patients to be treated in protective bunkers, making it a potentially more convenient and cost-effective treatment option.
In addition to Montreal, targeted alpha therapy clinical trials are taking place in nearly 50 locations worldwide, including sites in Toronto and London, Ontario. These trials are exploring the use of the alpha-emitting radioactive isotope actinium-225 on neuroendocrine cancer, with promising results so far.
While targeted alpha therapy shows great promise in cancer treatment, challenges remain in making it widely available. Production of the rare radioactive isotopes needed for this therapy is limited to a handful of facilities worldwide, including Canada’s TRIUMF particle accelerator in Vancouver. Additionally, the cost of targeted alpha therapy is expected to be significant, potentially running into the tens of thousands of dollars per dose, which may pose challenges for provinces in deciding whether to cover the treatment.
Despite these challenges, the pharmaceutical industry is investing heavily in the development of targeted alpha therapy, with major players like Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb spending billions on acquisitions and partnerships with companies developing radiopharmaceuticals. This investment reflects the industry’s belief that targeted alpha therapy has the potential to be the next big breakthrough in cancer treatment.
