Antibody-guided irradiation of malignant lesions: three cases illustrating a new method of treatment

A tumour-associated monoclonal antibody (HMFG2) radiolabelled with iodine-131 was given intrapleurally to a patient with malignant pleural effusion, intrapericardially to a patient with pericardial effusion and a tumour mass invading the pericardium, and intraperitoneally to a patient with stage III ovarian carcinoma resistant to chemotherapy. The dose of radiation delivered was 5000-7000 cGy to the malignant sites, 20-200 cGy to normal organs, and 10-25 cGy to whole body. Cytological examination after antibody-guided therapy showed no neoplastic cells in the residual pleural fluid from patient 1 or peritoneal washings from patient 3. In patient 2 computerised tomography of the pericardium showed that the tumour mass had diminished and the pericardial effusion had resolved. No clinical or other toxicity was observed. (author)