Activities of AREVA Med. Extraction and purification of the 212Pb isotope from Thorium for radio-immunotherapy

After having recalled the definition of radio-immunotherapy (RIT) and the benefits of alpha RIT for the treatment of some cancers, this document explains the choice of the 212-Pb isotope instead of the 212-Bi isotope (the first one has a longer half-life than the second). The Pb isotope in fact progressively transforms itself into the Bi isotope. The production process is evoked with its important steps. A second part reports the first clinic tests performed in the Alabama Centre for the treatment of different cancer (breast, colon, ovarian, pancreas, stomach). Processes and doses are discussed