Clinical experience with Tc-99m nofetumomab merpentan (Verluma) radioimmunoscintigraphy

Tc-99m nofetumomab merpentan (Verluma), consisting of a Fab fragment of the pancarcinoma murine antibody NR-LU-10, has been previously evaluated as a diagnostic imaging agent in staging patients with lung cancer. The authors have taken advantage of the pancarcinoma reactivity of this antibody to select patients with a variety of carcinomas for radioimmunotherapy trials. These have included gastrointestinal, breast, ovary, pancreas, kidney, cervix, and bladder carcinoma. This article documents the range of tumor types and locations that can be identified by gamma camera imaging with this radioimmunoconjugate. Tumor was positively identified in 92% of 107 patients studied. In 15 patients, the images led to suspicion of previously unknown disease. The authors conclude that this radioimmunoconjugate is useful in assessing patients with advanced disease. Additional studies may be warranted to explore further the potential benefit of this diagnostic imaging agent in evaluating the extent of disease in patients with a variety of carcinomas.