Radionuclide therapy in the United Kingdom in 1995

A postal survey was conducted in the UK in 1996 to determine the facilities available and the level of activity at centres where radionuclide therapy was practised in 1995. A response rate of 79% indicated that 102 centres were providing radionuclide therapy, with 339 clinicians holding ARSAC certificates, 57% of whom were clinical oncologists. There were 84 beds available for therapy and the total number of patients treated was 11,435. Patient numbers treated by disease or procedure were: haematological, 569 (5%); benign thyroid disease, 9059 (79.2%); malignant thyroid disease, 911 (8%); bone pain palliation, 425 (3.5%); radiosynovectomy, 321 (2.8%); neuroendocrine tumour therapy, 76 (0.7%); and intra-cavitary, 56 (0.5%). The total amounts of activity of individual radiopharmaceuticals administered in GBq were: 131I, 16,695; 90Y-colloid, 88; 32P, 94.6; 131I-MIBG, 646; 89Sr, 57.6; and 186Rh-HEDP, 16. Average waiting times varied from 1 to 5 weeks, with a range of 0 to 52 weeks for some therapies. Most centres had the services of a physicist available. Compared with teaching hospitals, the 61 district hospitals had fewer allocated beds, but treated almost half of all patients. The numbers of therapies undertaken were increasing at many centres and this has implications for long-term planning.