Improved detection of hepatic lesions using MoAb B72.3 and a modified 111In labelling technique in patients with...

In this study, the clinical usefulness of 111In-SCN-Bz-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) monoclonal antibody (MoAb) B72.3 in patients with recurrent colorectal carcinoma was evaluated. In previous studies with radiolabelled MoAb B72.3, metastatic liver lesions in patients with colon cancer appeared as areas of either increased (hot lesions) or decreased (cold lesions) activity, and extrahepatic lesions appeared as areas of increased activity. Eleven patients were enrolled in this study, and 12 MoAb imaging study results were correlated with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging findings. The improved detection rates (number of hot lesions) in MoAb imaging were 48% (14/29) for hepatic metastases and 60% (6/10) for extrahepatic metastases. This represents a significant improvement in the rate of detection of metastatic disease of the liver in patients with recurrent colon cancer when compared to the rate in previous reports. Seventeen clinically unsuspected hepatic and extrahepatic areas of increased uptake were also identified on MoAb studies, and two of these areas were confirmed as metastatic disease at surgery. The rate of detection of extrahepatic metastases with 111In-SCN-Bz-DTPA MoAb B72.3 was also compared and found to be equal to the detection rates with other radiolabelled immunoconjugates. No major adverse side effects were noted during the administration of the MoAb. Four of nine patients tested had a positive anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response 3 months after injection. These preliminary data indicate that this 111In-labelled immunoconjugate of MoAb B72.3 demonstrates an improvement in hepatic lesion detection rate than did previously reported preparations in patients with recurrent colon cancer.