@article {Gains1041, author = {Jennifer E. Gains and Jamshed B. Bomanji and Naomi L. Fersht and Tracy Sullivan and Derek D{\textquoteright}Souza and Kevin P. Sullivan and Matthew Aldridge and Wendy Waddington and Mark N. Gaze}, title = {177Lu-DOTATATE Molecular Radiotherapy for Childhood Neuroblastoma}, volume = {52}, number = {7}, pages = {1041--1047}, year = {2011}, doi = {10.2967/jnumed.110.085100}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {This study tested the principle that 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT may be used to select children with primary refractory or relapsed high-risk neuroblastoma for treatment with 177Lu-DOTATATE and evaluated whether this is a viable therapeutic option for those children. Methods: Between 2008 and 2010, 8 children with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma were studied with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. The criterion of eligibility for 177Lu-DOTATATE therapy was uptake on the diagnostic scan equal to or higher than that of the liver. Results: Of the 8 children imaged, 6 had abnormally high uptake on the 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT scan and proceeded to treatment. Patients received 2 or 3 administrations of 177Lu-DOTATATE at a median interval of 9 wk and a median administered activity of 7.3 GBq. Of the 6 children treated, 5 had stable disease by the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST). Of these 5 children, 2 had an initial metabolic response and reduction in the size of their lesions, and 1 patient had a persistent partial metabolic response and reduction in size of the lesions on CT, although the disease was stable by RECIST. One had progressive disease. Three children had grade 3 and 1 child had grade 4 thrombocytopenia. No significant renal toxicity has been seen. Conclusion: 68Ga-DOTATATE can be used to image children with neuroblastoma and identify those suitable for molecular radiotherapy with 177Lu-DOTATATE. We have shown, for what is to our knowledge the first time, that treatment with 177Lu-DOTATATE is safe and feasible in children with relapsed or primary refractory high-risk neuroblastoma. We plan to evaluate this approach formally in a phase I{\textendash}II clinical trial.}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/52/7/1041}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/52/7/1041.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }