/sup 99m/Tc radiolabelling and quality control tests of anti-melanoma monoclonal antibodies and F(ab')/sub 2/ fragments for immunoscintigraphy

Tumour radioimmunodetection was first developed by using radiolabelled polyclonal antibodies, raised in goats against tumour associated antigens (TAA). The availability of monoclonal antibodies to TAA has definitely contributed to more extensive in vivo use of radiolabelled antibodies. However, many factors are involved in tumour radioimmunolocalization, related either to the antibody and radioisotope features or to the natural history of the tumour itself. The experimental protocol developed by the authors allows a full evaluation of the properties of a particular MoAb.This paper illustrates the work done with on a particular set of monoclonal antibodies, raised against human melanoma associated antigens, with the aim of visualizing primary and metastatic lesions in melanoma patients