The British Institute of Radiology (BIR) has released a report that reviews the status of molecular radiotherapy in the U.K. and provides recommendations to improve its use and effectiveness.
The motivation for the report stems from the idea that scientific developments, support for infrastructure, and the availability of molecular radiotherapy in the U.K. have not kept pace with external-beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy. An increasing number of radiopharmaceuticals, however, are becoming available for a range of treatments, and the market is expected to grow significantly in the next decade, BIR said.
BIR, which surveyed 232 centers, concentrated its report on therapy procedures prevalent in the U.K. and detailed areas of support for molecular radiotherapy: radiopharmacies for routine preparation and further development of radiopharmaceuticals, as well as physics for imaging and internal dosimetry.
The report includes data on the current practice of molecular radiotherapy in U.K. hospitals and provides recommendations to improve the practice of molecular radiotherapy in the U.K., according to BIR. The organization hopes the report will encourage further research into the treatment of cancer with radiopharmaceuticals and will stimulate the clinical and scientific developments necessary to support cost-effective growth in this area.
The report, "Molecular radiotherapy in the UK: Current status and recommendations for further investigation," is available for 25 pounds ($40.87 U.S.).
