Oliver Sartor interviews Martin Pomper about radiopharmaceuticals and theranostics in cancer treatment. Dr. Pomper discusses his long-standing interest in the field, highlighting the advantages of small molecule radiopharmaceuticals over antibodies and other biological agents. He explains his focus on Astatine-211 as a promising alpha emitter for targeted therapy, citing its single alpha decay and shorter half-life as key benefits. Dr. Pomper shares insights on potential targets for radiopharmaceutical therapy, including PSMA, FAP, and emerging options for various cancer types. Looking to the future, he predicts advances in target identification, chemistry techniques, and isotope development. Dr. Pomper describes the importance of combining radiopharmaceuticals with immunotherapy, personalized dosimetry, and AI-driven patient selection. He expresses optimism about the field's potential to improve both survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients.

Biographies:

Martin Pomper, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Oliver Sartor, MD, Medical Oncologist, Professor of Medicine, Urology and Radiology, Director, Radiopharmaceutical Trials, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN