Molecular radiotherapy (MRT) may also sometimes be referred to as radionuclide or radioisotope therapy. MRT is a form of radiotherapy which utilises a radioactive medication. This can be administered orally (through the mouth) or intravenously (through the veins), directly targeting tumour tissue, wherever it is in the body. The Molecular Radiotherapy Service at University College London provides treatment for adults, children, teenagers and young adults.
The molecular radiotherapy service includes a multi-disciplinary team including radiographers, clinical scientists, health play specialists, physicists, oncologists, endocrinologists, surgeons, nuclear medicine physicians and radiologists.
The administration may be done as an outpatient appointment or it may be necessary for you to be admitted in a specialised treatment suite. The length of stay will be determined by the treatment you receive. The molecular radiotherapy team will ask a series of questions to predict when you may be discharged. Your radioactivity levels will also be monitored throughout your stay. The number of treatments can vary from a single administration to multiple administrations and is tailored according to your individual needs.
Prior to receiving molecular radiotherapy your suitability and eligibility for this treatment will need to be assessed, a consultant oncologist will go through this in more detail with you.
Following your administration of a radioactive drug, you may also require a nuclear medicine scan to show where the radioactive drug has been absorbed within your body.
UCLH currently offers molecular radiotherapy to a number of different treatment sites, including:
- Thyroid - benign disease or cancer
- Neuroendocrine tumours, including Neuroblastoma
- Leukaemia
- Bone metastasis
- Liver metastasis
We aim to offer an innovative service with a wide range active clinical trials.
