News | Radiation Therapy | March 23, 2021

Simple chemical process generates thorium-226 from uranium-230, giving a higher radiation dose that kills cancer tissue while sparing nearby healthy cells

Cancer tissue being bombarded by targeted alpha particles. The generator developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory holds uranium-230, which decays to thorium-226. Further decay produces short-lived daughter isotopes, emitting four more alpha particles resulting in a very high combined radiation dose to destroy cancer cells.

Cancer tissue being bombarded by targeted alpha particles. The generator developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory holds uranium-230, which decays to thorium-226. Further decay produces short-lived daughter isotopes, emitting four more alpha particles resulting in a very high combined radiation dose to destroy cancer cells.


March 23, 2021 — Improved options for cancer treatment are on the way, thanks to a new system developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for producing alpha-emitting medical radioisotopes intended to target and overpower diseased tissue while sparing the healthy tissue around it.

“The new system is based on a uranium-230/thorium-226 pairing, where the thorium-226 is supplied in a form suitable for medical applications,” said Michael Fassbender, the lead researcher at Los Alamos. “The thorium-226 emits multiple alpha particles as it decays, delivering a powerful blow to diseased cells. This is similar to actinium-225, another promising alpha therapy isotope. The DOE Isotope Program is committed to making multiple options, or a variety of radioisotopes available to accelerate the development of therapeutics that could be used to treat different cancers.”

Radioisotopes are a key weapon in the medical arsenal for treating cancer. Most treatments use beta-particle-emitting isotopes to destroy cancer cells. Alpha particles can do a better job. Not only do they carry much more destructive energy, but they also release this energy over a very short range, which allows for large radiation doses to be transported in microscopic volumes directly to the malignant cells. Thus, healthy tissue is less likely to be damaged. Alpha particle therapeutics are also effective against cancer that has metastasized and spread around the body.

Through a chemical process, the new Los Alamos generator allows repeated separation of thorium-226 from its parent, uranium-230. The generator will be available to a researcher through the National Isotope Development Center (NIDC), giving them a consistent supply of thorium-226 to use in investigating the next steps in creating the radiopharmaceuticals needed to treat patients.  

For more information: science.osti.gov/


Related Content

News | Oncology Information Management Systems (OIMS)

May 24, 2023 — RaySearch Laboratories AB announced that the oncology information system RayCare* (* subject to ...

Time May 24, 2023
arrow
News | ASTRO

May 23, 2023 — More than 9 in 10 radiation oncologists report that their practices face clinical staff shortages ...

Time May 23, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Oncology

May 23, 2023 — ZAP Surgical Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in the field of surgical robotics, today announced that ...

Time May 23, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Oncology

May 22, 2023 — Physicians and scientists from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center will discuss the latest ...

Time May 22, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Oncology

May 18, 2023 — Cassling announced it is a new strategic sales agent in various geographic territories across the United ...

Time May 18, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Oncology

May 16, 2023 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) today expressed its strong support for President ...

Time May 16, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Therapy

May 15, 2023 — GE HealthCare is presenting three new global innovations – Intelligent Radiation Therapy (iRT), Auto ...

Time May 15, 2023
arrow
News | Radiation Therapy

May 8, 2023 — Mirion, a leading provider of advanced radiation safety solutions, announced that it has updated the ...

Time May 08, 2023
arrow
Feature | Radiology Business | By Melinda Taschetta-Millane

Be sure to check out the latest digital edition of Imaging Technology News (ITN), featuring the Digital Radiology ...

Time May 05, 2023
arrow
Feature | Radiographic Fluoroscopy (RF) | By Mohammad Sahebjalal, MD

Invented in 1896 by Enrico Salvioni, the fluoroscope remains a flagship technology of modern medicine. The live video X ...

Time May 04, 2023
arrow
Subscribe Now