First Autopsy-Confirmed Complete Cancer Remission After Single Cycle of Alpha Radiation Therapy
A single cycle of Actinium-225 PRRT with DOTA-LM3 achieved complete remission of metastatic neuroendocrine cancer — confirmed at autopsy, a first in the literature.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Autopsy confirmed complete pathological remission of widely metastatic neuroendocrine cancer after just one cycle of [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-LM3 alpha-PRRT — a first in the literature.
Key Numbers
78-year-old man. NEN G2 from tailgut cyst. Prior surgery, lanreotide, and Lu-177 DOTATATE. 1 cycle Ac-225 DOTA-LM3. Complete remission confirmed at autopsy. Death from gastric adenocarcinoma (unrelated).
How They Did This
Single case report with autopsy confirmation of treatment response after one cycle of Actinium-225 labeled DOTA-LM3 PRRT.
Why This Research Matters
Autopsy-confirmed complete remission is the gold standard for proving a treatment works. This first-ever case demonstrates the extraordinary cancer-killing potential of alpha-particle PRRT.
The Bigger Picture
This case fundamentally validates alpha-particle PRRT as a potentially curative approach for neuroendocrine cancers, even in heavily metastatic disease.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single case — cannot determine how often complete remission occurs. The patient died from an unrelated complication (bile duct obstruction), so long-term survival benefit could not be assessed.
Questions This Raises
- ?How often does single-cycle alpha-PRRT achieve complete pathological remission?
- ?Could earlier use of alpha-PRRT prevent the need for multiple treatment cycles?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- First autopsy-confirmed complete remission One cycle of alpha-PRRT eliminated all viable cancer cells across multiple metastatic sites — confirmed pathologically at autopsy
- Evidence Grade:
- Single case report, but with the strongest possible endpoint — autopsy-confirmed complete pathological remission. This is unprecedented evidence for alpha-PRRT efficacy.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025, establishing a landmark case in targeted alpha-particle therapy for cancer.
- Original Title:
- First Autopsy-confirmed Complete Remission of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm of Tailgut Cyst After a Single Cycle of Alpha-Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy With [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-LM3.
- Published In:
- Clinical nuclear medicine (2025)
- Authors:
- Perrone, Elisabetta(4), Shaheen, Shagufta, Kunz, Pamela L, Henri, Heather C, Baum, Richard P
- Database ID:
- RPEP-13026
Evidence Hierarchy
Describes what happened to one person or a small group.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this case so significant?
It is the first time autopsy has confirmed complete elimination of all cancer cells after a single cycle of alpha-particle radiation therapy. This proves the treatment can achieve what was previously only hoped for — total tumor destruction in metastatic disease.
What is alpha-particle radiation therapy?
Alpha particles are a powerful form of radiation that destroy cells within a very short range. When attached to a tumor-targeting peptide, alpha emitters like Actinium-225 deliver intense radiation directly to cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue.
Read More on RethinkPeptides
Cite This Study
https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/RPEP-13026APA
Perrone, Elisabetta; Shaheen, Shagufta; Kunz, Pamela L; Henri, Heather C; Baum, Richard P. (2025). First Autopsy-confirmed Complete Remission of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm of Tailgut Cyst After a Single Cycle of Alpha-Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy With [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-LM3.. Clinical nuclear medicine. https://doi.org/10.1097/RLU.0000000000006201
MLA
Perrone, Elisabetta, et al. "First Autopsy-confirmed Complete Remission of Metastatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasm of Tailgut Cyst After a Single Cycle of Alpha-Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy With [225Ac]Ac-DOTA-LM3.." Clinical nuclear medicine, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1097/RLU.0000000000006201
RethinkPeptides
RethinkPeptides Research Database. "First Autopsy-confirmed Complete Remission of Metastatic Neu..." RPEP-13026. Retrieved from https://rethinkpeptides.com/research/perrone-2025-first-autopsyconfirmed-complete-remission
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkPeptides research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.