Matriptase-Selective Radiotheranostics for Metastatic Carcinoma

Metastatic cancer, in which cancer cells invade healthy distant tissue, is the leading cause of death in Canada. Epithelial breast, colon, and prostate cancer of the outermost tissue lining are the most prevalent forms of metastatic cancer and require better tools to prevent life-threatening outcomes. Treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy are either impractical for metastases, invasive, or toxic. The goal of this work is to develop a radioactive molecule that targets matriptase, an enzyme which supports tumor growth and metastasis. A set of molecules will be made, labelled with a radioactive tag, and screened for binding. Conveniently, the radioactive source is interchangeable for imaging or targeted radiotherapy. Using a specialized camera, tumor radioactivity can be noninvasively tracked to classify disease progression. Using a different radioactive tag, radiation can also be delivered to exclusively kill matriptase-positive tumor cells. The lead candidate is expected to enable tumor staging and improve patient outcomes by impeding tumor growth and spread. It may also be used to monitor response to therapy and guide clinical decisions, representing a major advance in the management of metastatic epithelial cancer.