The new radiopharmaceutical 18F-FLT (fluorothymidine) has been introduced into clinical practice

The Nuclear Medicine Center of the MCH of the PAA of the RK has launched the production of the fifth cyclotron-produced radiopharmaceutical and started PET/CT studies with it.

This drug is being synthesized in Kazakhstan for the first time; preparation for it took 6 months.

The pharmaceutical is an imaging biomarker of cell proliferation and is used in the diagnosis of various types of cancer, including blood cancer (lymphoma and leukemia), breast cancer, lymphoma, head and neck, esophageal and lung cancer, as well as bone and soft tissue sarcomas, etc.

Fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) contains a protein substance that is integrated into the DNA of a tumor cell and accurately sees the oncological process, including at an early stage of the disease, and can also give an objective assessment after surgical treatment.

This drug has the ability to track cell division and allows specialists to obtain accurate data on the metabolic cells activity to assess tumor activity. It is especially useful in the evaluation of tumors that are difficult to differentiate using already known radiopharmaceuticals.

“The introduction of PET/CT studies with 18F-FLT opens up new prospects in diagnosis and therapy. Its use makes the detection of malignant lesions easy and accessible, provides a personalized approach and accurate treatment for each patient. We are confident that the drug will take diagnostic performance to a new level,” says the head of the MCH Nuclear Medicine Center, Doctor of Medicine Aigul Saduakassova.

PET/CT with the radiopharmaceutical 18F-FLT is used in oncology to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and detect relapses.