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Theranostics 2024; 14(6):2464-2488. doi:10.7150/thno.96675 This issue Cite

Review

Theranostics - a sure cure for cancer after 100 years?

Yangmeihui Song^1,2#, Jianhua Zou^3,4,5,6#, E. Alejandro Castellanos^7#, Naomi Matsuura^8,9,10, John A. Ronald^11,12, Adam Shuhendler^13,14, Wolfgang A Weber^1,✉, Assaf A. Gilad^15,16,✉, Cristina Müller^17,18,✉, Timothy H. Witney^19,✉, Xiaoyuan Chen^3,4,5,6,✉

1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, 81675, Germany.
2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 43000, China.
3. Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore.
4. Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore.
5. Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.
6. Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
7. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
8. Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
9. Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
10. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
11. Imaging Laboratories, Department of Medical Biophysics, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
12. Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.
13. University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
14. Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
15. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
16. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
17. Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland.
18. Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
19. School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
^# These authors contribute equally to this work.

✉ Corresponding authors: Wolfgang A Weber (w.weberde), Assaf A. Gilad (giladedu), Cristina Müller (cristina.muellerch), Timothy H. Witney (tim.witneyac.uk), Xiaoyuan Chen (chen.shawnedu.sg).

Abstract

Cancer has remained a formidable challenge in medicine and has claimed an enormous number of lives worldwide. Theranostics, combining diagnostic methods with personalized therapeutic approaches, shows huge potential to advance the battle against cancer. This review aims to provide an overview of theranostics in oncology: exploring its history, current advances, challenges, and prospects. We present the fundamental evolution of theranostics from radiotherapeutics, cellular therapeutics, and nanotherapeutics, showcasing critical milestones in the last decade. From the early concept of targeted drug delivery to the emergence of personalized medicine, theranostics has benefited from advances in imaging technologies, molecular biology, and nanomedicine. Furthermore, we emphasize pertinent illustrations showcasing that revolutionary strategies in cancer management enhance diagnostic accuracy and provide targeted therapies customized for individual patients, thereby facilitating the implementation of personalized medicine. Finally, we describe future perspectives on current challenges, emerging topics, and advances in the field.

Keywords: cancer, radiotheranostics, synthetic biology, nanotheranostics, personalized medicine

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