Imagine being able to see a tumor accurately and, with the same technology, diagnose and fight the disease by delivering a sure dose of radiation or medication only to diseased cells, saving the body’s healthy tissues. What seemed like science fiction a few years ago today shapes one of the most promising frontiers of medicine: theranostics – the theme of the special module presented by researchers from the CEPID CancerThera at the XXXV Academic Medical Congress of the State University of Campinas (COMAU 2026), held between August 7th and 8th at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) of the State University of Campinas (Unicamp).

Right target in the fight against cancer 

Oncology is currently experiencing a period of rapid evolution, with generalized treatment models giving way to precision medicine — a therapeutic approach that tailors medical care based on the specific genetic and molecular characteristics of each patient and their tumor. Within this ecosystem, theranostics—a term combining “therapy” and “diagnostics” — represent an unprecedented technological milestone in Nuclear Medicine, a medical specialty that uses safe radioactive substances to diagnose and treat diseases.

In order to present in a didactic way the concept of therapeutics and its applications in scientific development, especially to the students of the medical course, the module “Therapeutics in Oncology: beneficial effects of radiation” it was structured in four linked lectures, unraveling the route that goes from the laboratory bench to the imminence of the clinical application.

The opening began with Dr. Adrhyann Jullyanne de Souza Portilho, biologist and post-doctoral researcher in clinical medicine at FCM/Unicam , who gave the lecture “Cancer Theranostics: concepts and applications”, introducing the main terms of the area and the therapists already commercially available.

When reflecting on the experience at the congress, the researcher highlights the enriching experience of being able to share knowledge about the use of radiopharmaceuticals in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. “Awakening the students’ curiosity at CoMAU and realizing their interest throughout the presentation was undoubtedly one of the most memorable moments, because disseminating this knowledge to the next generation of health professionals is a fundamental part of our work”, she says. 

From basic chemistry to preclinical tests

For precision therapy to work in the human body, molecular engineering requires a rigorous multidisciplinary gear. the second stage of the module presented the conception and synthesis of new compounds with the lecture “Metalopharmaceuticals: conception and synthesis’, presented by Ms. Francisco Mastrobuono Cordeiro de Almeida, PhD student in chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp, who detailed how professionals in the field idealize and develop new molecules and radiopharmaceuticals. 

As the researcher explains, the biggest challenge of this action lies in the complexity behind the design of new compounds, since this demands to find the ideal balance at the junction of a metal — such as platinum or palladium, which have favorable geometries for the interaction with DNA — with an adequate and compatible binder. In practice, basic research moves in the field of unpredictability: synthesizing a new molecule requires a strong basis in the literature, although biological success and the control of toxicities can only be fully measured step by step.

For Almeida, participating in the congress was an opportunity to expose to students that pharmaceutical innovation is built in a multidisciplinary way: “It was great to show students, for example, that a large part of the development of new drugs does not come only from Medicine, it comes from Chemists, from Physicists, Biomedical, Biologists”.

Subsequently, the module taught by CancerThera researchers deepened the structural bases of this gear through the evaluations in vitro and in vivo [testes laboratoriais realizados em células e, posteriormente, em modelos biológicos vivos para comprovar eficácia e segurança], with the lecture “Radiopharmaceuticals: Preclinical Assessments”, led by the Dr. Fabio Fernando Alves da Silva, biologist, biochemist, doctor in Nuclear Technology and post-doctorate at FCM/UNICAMP.

Regarding the work presented, Silva emphasizes the opportunity to share the preclinical research developed at CancerThera, addressing fundamental steps for the characterization and validation of new radiopharmaceuticals. “I chose to highlight the fundamental concepts of radiation, molecular and therapeutic image, as well as explain the in vitro and in vivo necessary for the development of radiopharmaceuticals, such as biodistribution studies and the evaluation of their diagnostic and therapeutic potential”, he explains. 

In his assessment of the event, the researcher points out that meetings like CoMAU are essential to bring students closer to scientific research and new technologies applied to medicine, promoting contact with areas such as statistics, chemistry and biological sciences. For Silva, these initiatives “shows how basic, preclinical and clinical research complement each other in the construction of a translational science, aimed at patients”.

Fighting the most challenging tumors

Dr. Carmen Silvia Passos Lima — an oncologist, professor at FCM/Unicamp, and principal investigator and innovation coordinator at CancerThera — concluded the module. Her lecture, “Anti-Integrin in Glioblastoma,” synthesized the journey outlined in previous presentations by demonstrating preliminary results from the development of a radiopharmaceutical with theranostic potential — combining an anti-integrin peptide, a DOTA chelator, and gallium-68 — aimed at combating glioblastoma, a highly aggressive primary brain tumor.

According to Lima, the main objective was to illustrate the students, in an accessible way, how all stages are connected in translational practice. “Together, it was presented in the module, in a simplified way, part of what is developed in research in CancerThera and the presentation of the promising results of the therapeutic potential for glioblastoma ended up closing it with “golden keys”, she evaluates. From different areas and the time dedicated to the development of a radiopharmaceutical for a single target made a strong impact and surprise in the audience. 

For the researcher, exposing real projects to future doctors fosters a more improved clinical insight into prescriptions and procedures, as well as being an impetus to attract young people to work in scientific research. The reflection of this approach could already be measured immediately after the end of the activities: “It is worth mentioning that it seems that this actually happens, as countless students came to us at the end of the module and this week asking for guidance to carry out scientific initiation in the area”, celebrates Lima.

_{Text: Xenya Bucchioni}

The post Module promoted by CancerThera brings knowledge of therapeutics in oncology for the XXXV Academic Medical Congress of Unicamp  first appeared on CEPID CancerThera.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), neglected systemic mycosis of high clinical and epidemiological relevance in Brazil, gained a powerful ally in the precise mapping of its severity. A new study conducted by researchers from the CEPID CancerThera demonstrated that molecular imaging technology by FDG PET/CT is able to detect more than twice as many bodily injuries as compared to conventional staging methods.

The work, entitled FDG-PET/CT Demonstrations superior detection of multiorgan involvement in Paracoccidioidomycosis compared with conventional staging and published in the scientific journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, points out that the tool redefines the panorama of the disease, with direct impacts on the medical management and treatment time of patients.

Expanded accuracy against a challenging mycosis

Popularly known as the “coffee planter disease”, paracoccidioidomycosis is contracted by inhalation of spores of the genus fungus paracoccidioides present on the ground. Although it primarily affects the lungs, the infection can spread silently and aggressively to multiple organs via lymphatic and blood pathways. The great clinical challenge lies precisely in the traditional staging[processo médico que consiste em avaliar a extensão, a gravidade e o grau de disseminação de uma doença pelo corpo para definir a melhor conduta terapêutica]: physical examination, serology and chest X-rays often underestimate the true extent of the parasitic and inflammatory load in the body, identifying isolated lung lesions while extrapulmonary foci go unnoticed.

To solve this gap, the research prospectively evaluated 34 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PCM (among untreated individuals and individuals with suspected therapeutic failure). All participants underwent both standardized clinical-conventional staging and full-body examinations with FDG PET/CT.

The results obtained impress: “In our study, we observed that the PET/CT identified more than twice as many lesions compared to the conventional evaluation (150 versus 62), detecting, for example, new areas of disease involvement that had not been diagnosed with other Examinations, with emphasis on lymph nodes, lungs and adrenal glands. In addition, the PET/CT reclassified patients as having multifocal disease in 97% of cases and increased the proportion of cases classified as severe, from 70.6% to 91.2%, showing that the method can be more accurate in evaluating both the extent and severity of the disease”, details the researcher Pricila Gama da Cunha, PhD student in Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at UNICAMP (FCM-UNICAMP).

The reclassification of paracoccidioidomycosis as a multifocal and severe condition brings direct reflexes to medical practice. As explains Dr. Plinio Trabasso, an infectologist and associate professor at FCM/UNICAMP, this conceptual change improves the understanding of the pathophysiology of the infection[mecanismos biológicos e celulares pelos quais os agentes agressores provocam o desenvolvimento e a evolução de uma doença no organismo]. As the specialist points out, the systemic disease has a “very intense inflammatory component, which explains the consumptive syndrome that accompanies the condition and precedes the diagnosis” – a serious clinical picture, characterized by marked weight loss, malnutrition, extreme weakness and progressive physical debilitation.

What the exam sees and the value of the metabolic biomarker

To understand how doctors can assess the severity of paracoccidioidomycosis, it is necessary to look inside the body through technology. The PET/CT scan uses a radioactive marker called FDG — a molecule analogous to glucose that “illuminates” the sites in the body where there is an accelerated consumption of energy. As both cancer cells and the foci of serious infections and inflammation expend a lot of energy, they stand out in the exam.

This is where quantitative and volumetric biomarkers come in: such as the metabolic volume of lesions (TMLV) and total glycolysis (TLG), advanced metrics evaluated in the study. In simple terms, instead of just taking a static ‘photo’ to see where the infection is, researchers can calculate, through software, the total volume and exact intensity of the diseased tissue spread across the body. Thus, if the patient has high metabolic volumes even after the start of treatment, this can indicate a therapeutic failure or resistance of the fungus, functioning as a “control panel” to guide doctors towards a more assertive conduct.

In addition to counting the number of lesions, the study explored advanced metabolic quantification through parameters such as SUVmax (maximum marked glucose capture), TMLV and TLG. The researchers observed that these numerical indices present a significant correlation with serological titles and with traditional inflammatory markers, such as the C-reactive protein (PCR) and the rate of hemosedimentation. According to Gama, “patients with suspected therapeutic failure had significantly lower values of TMLV and TLG compared to untreated patients, suggesting that these parameters accurately reflect the metabolic extent of the disease and its response to treatment”.

Another highlight of the study was the direct comparison with Gallium-67 scintigraphy, a nuclear medicine test already established in the traditional assessment: PET/CT demonstrated the ability to detect four times more sites of active infection, offering superior images in terms of anatomical resolution at a time of acquisition. considerably smaller.

As Dr. Celso Dario Ramos, nuclear physician, professor at FCM/UNICAMP and deputy director of CEPID CancerThera ponders, the central message of the article is that “neglected diseases do not only need new drugs, but also modern imaging technologies to make the correct diagnosis, the evaluation of the extent of the disease and the monitoring of the disease”.   

Public infrastructure and the strategic role of CEPID

To make research with this level of technical complexity and quantitative rigor viable, the technological rearguard played a decisive role. The advance obtained by the team directly reflects the infrastructure of CancerThera’s and the continuous support of FAPESP. According to Ramos, the study would not even exist without the PET-CT equipment, whose previous acquisition and the subsequent upgrade allowed not only the examinations, but also the recovery of the data for the quantifications and the generation of the article’s images. 

The researcher also highlights that the equipment used at Unicamp is one of the rare in the country dedicated exclusively to the care of patients in the Unified Health System (SUS). Emphasizing the importance of this use, Ramos argues that government investment in the expansion of PET-CTs aimed at the public network is an urgent step — not only to assess oncological diseases, but also for the assertive management of infectious and neglected endemic diseases, as is The case of paracoccidioidomycosis in Brazil.

With an eye on the future, the next steps of research involve validating these findings in multicenter studies with a greater number of patients. As Gama explains, these later works should “expand the degree of certainty of the evidence and define with greater precision in which clinical scenarios the PET/CT offers the greatest benefit”. In addition to confirming its role in the staging of the disease, the researcher states that “these studies should clarify how the PET/CT can guide more individualized therapeutic decisions, especially regarding the duration of treatment and the follow-up of specific organs.”

study technical sheet

ARTICLE: FDG-PET/CT Demonstrations superior detection of multiorgan involvement in Paracoccidioidomycosis compared with conventional staging.
Publication: Clinical Infectious Diseases (Oxford Academic)
Institutions: State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) — including the Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology and Oncology, Institute of Physics Gleb Wataghin, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences and the Center for Hematology and Hemotherapy (Hemocenter).
Financing: FAPESP
Researchers involved: Pricila G Cunha, Maria Emilia Seren Takahashi, Raquel SB Stucchi, Mariana Paixão Ribeiro, Thiago F Souza, Carmino Antonio de Souza, Barbara Juarez Amorim, Maria Luiza Moretti, Plínio Trabasso, Celso Dario Ramos.

_{Text: Xenya Bucchioni}

The post Cepid Cancerthera study proves that PET/CT with FDG surpasses conventional methods and reveals occult multiorganic involvement in paracoccidioidomycosis first appeared on CEPID CancerThera.

When frontier science meets the market vision, the result is the acceleration of the future. It is with this spirit that CEPID Cancerthera celebrates the conquest of the LumiNova women’s team, composed of students from the ILUM School of Science — Gisela Ceresér Kassick, Lília Helena Gavazza Pessôa, Lívia Maria Barbosa de Aragão, Mariana Melo Pereira and Samarah Luiza de Medeiros Ramos — who took first place in the Unicamp Challenge 2026, also being the winner in the category popular vote. By choosing as the basis of your business plan the patent of the AGNMS complex — an innovative formulation that unites silver ions (AG) and the anti-inflammatory nimesulide (NMS) in a topical treatment focused on optimizing the fight against skin neoplasms — young entrepreneurs have shown that the innovation generated in the laboratories of the Center is ready to transform the oncological reality.

From the bench to the market: the potential of the AGNMS patent

The path that led to recognition in this year’s Unicamp Challenge has deep roots in scientific dedication. winning technology revolves around the applicatiov of the complex AGNMS in a device developed to optimize the treatment of cutaneous neoplasms, enhancing therapeutic efficacy and offering a more targeted care for skin lesions. What began to gain public form in 2022, when the pharmacological association’s potential was highlighted, it has matured in solidity and strategic value over the years.

In the Unicamp Challenge ecosystem, this patent is no longer just an academic asset and has gained commercial traction. Crossing this barrier, however, required vision and rigor. As the Dra. Ana Lucia Tasca Gois Ruiz, professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the State University of Campinas (FCF/UNICAMP), a researcher associated with Cancerthera and academic mentor of the team, one of the great merits of the process was to exercise this dual perspective: “Allow students to allow students to Think about the solutions presented in the patents both from a scientific point of view and from a business point of view”. 

The practical experience of this transition proved to be transformative for the students. As you highlight Mariana Melo Pereira, a member of the winning team, “Participating in the Unicamp Challenge was an opportunity to understand that a good technology, in itself, does not guarantee that it will reach the people who need it”. Based on the support of business and business mentoring offered on the competition platform, the students translated the physical-chemical complexity of the AGNMS into a viable model, realizing the need to look beyond the bench to “also thought about the needs of patients, the feasibility of the solution, in the market, in regulation, in investments and in how we could transform such a relevant research, idealized by CancerThera researchers, into a product with a real impact, that would reach the largest number of people”, explains Pereira.

The strength of translational research and the cancer ecosystem

Success in the award is not an isolated event, but the direct reflection of a structured environment for translational research [stage that seeks to transform laboratory discoveries into practical health applications]. Integrated with CancerThera, the development of AGNMS benefits from a multidisciplinary work in which Oncology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and technological innovation go hand in hand.

Following this route closely required immersion. According to Ruiz, who guided the group through online meetings and email exchanges, institutional support ranged from rescuing the history of patent development and sharing publications by the group of researchers linked to the study to connecting students with other members of the research front to clarify doubts about the level of technological maturity of the device. This technical rearguard ensured that the students understood the depth of what they were handling before projecting their commercial scalability.

The transforming role of mentoring and scientific entrepreneurship

More than celebrating a patent, the victory in the Unicamp 2026 Challenge crowns the importance of talent training and the culture of innovation. The competition works as a true incubator of mentalities, in which students are challenged to look outside the walls of the academy and project the impact of their ideas on the real world.

“As the focus is on training and research, the academic day-to-day does not always provide us with time and environment to think about issues directly related to how to transform the ideas and solutions obtained from research into business models that can be transferred to society. That is why this event organized by the INOVA agency is so relevant”, assesses Ruiz.

For the students, the academic experience has gained a new dimension. Pereira points out that the process allowed to put into practice classroom learning and that, by “watching workshops and training and talking to our mentors, we even managed to anticipate concepts and ideas that we would only see later in the course”.

Practical challenges were not lacking along the way. Among the barriers overcome by the team, Ruiz highlights that “one of the main challenges was to think about how to scale the production of the device from the information obtained during the research as well as to estimate the production costs”. In addition, the discussions delved into essential fronts linked to sustainability and bioengineering, going through details such as “the stability (shelf time) of the device containing the AGNMS complex and reverse logistics, that is, at the end of use which would be the most suitable destination for the device”, explains the researcher. 

Eyes in the future: the real impact on patients’ lives

Behind every innovation indicator and every successful business model, there is a humanitarian motivation. The advancement of therapeutic proposals such as the AGNMS complex aims, ultimately, to offer more effective, safe and accessible alternatives for the treatment of cancer patients facing skin cancer.

Overcoming barriers and demystifying scientific entrepreneurship is part of this journey. As the student summarizes Samarah Luiza de Medeiros Ramos, a member of the winning team, the achievement represented a turn of a personal key on the role of innovation. “Winning a challenge focused on innovation was an achievement for me, because I always felt that I didn’t fit into this environment. Today, however, I understand that innovation is, above all, to bring something good to society. When I started viewing innovation from that perspective, my outlook changed completely,” she reflects.

Ramos also highlights the pride of proposing solutions aimed at the public system: “I was able to participate in the development of a business model that proposes to bring a treatment to the SUS”. An experience that, according to her, leaves a legacy of encouragement for other students to believe in themselves. “So my message is: if you have an idea that can help someone’s life, do everything to make it a reality. Especially if you can do so in a way that is accessible to the greatest possible number of people”.

The Unicamp Challenge

Promoted annually by Inova Unicamp, the Unicamp Challenge has been consolidated as the main competition of business models based on technologies patented by the university. The initiative’s mission is to accelerate the culture of academic entrepreneurship, connecting the intellectual property generated in the campus laboratories with the market and society.

In the 2026 edition, the innovation marathon recorded expressive numbers: 324 enrolled were divided into 80 teams, bringing together participants from 54 different institutions. Among the dozens of competitors, six teams reached the final, disputing the categories of evaluation of the banking and popular vote — with the LumiNova team winning on both fronts.

The scope and strength of this edition are synthesized by Marina Silva, manager of Innovation and administration at Inova Unicamp: “Achieving the 16th edition of the Unicamp Challenge with participants from 14 Brazilian states and, for the third time in our history, bringing together representatives from the five regions of the country demonstrates the scope and relevance that the competition has achieved over the years. The audience record in the final, with more than 600 entries, which reinforces the growing interest in technological entrepreneurship and the potential of research developed at Unicamp”.

The researcher involved in the research that gave rise to the patent of the AGNMS complex were:

Carmen Silvia Passos Lima (Professor in Oncology at the Department of Internal Medicine at Unicamp)
Tuany Zambroti Cândido (Faculty of Medical Sciencies – Unicamp)
Raphael Enoque Ferraz de Paiva (Institute of Chemistry – Unicamp)
Silmara Cristina Lazarini FrajáComo (University of Araraquara – UNIARA)
Douglas Hideki Nakahata (Institute of Chemistry – Unicamp)
Nayara Aparecida Simei Aquaroni (University of Araraquara – Uniara)
Pedro Paulo Corbi (Institute of Chemistry – Unicamp)
Wilton Rogério Lustri (University of Araraquara – Uniara)
Ana Lucia Tasca Gois Ruiz (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Unicamp)
Karin Maia Monteiro (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Unicamp)
Joao Ernesto de Carvalho (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Unicamp)
Camilla Abbehausen (Institute of Chemistry – Unicamp)

College and Institute involved: 
Faculty of Medical Sciences – Unicamp
Institute of Chemistry – Unicamp
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences – Unicamp

Partner: University of Araraquara – Uniara

_{Text: Xenya Bucchioni}

The post From bench to podium: how CEPID CancerThera skin cancer innovation has achieved the Unicamp 2026 Challenge first appeared on CEPID CancerThera.

Application email: oncomol@unicamp.br

The selected candidate will work on a research project within the Clinical Arm of CancerThera, aiming to evaluate the tumor genomic profile and the transcriptomic profile of adipose tissue, as well as the inflammatory and metabolic profiles associated with radiopharmaceutical uptake assessed by imaging exams.

A collaborative profile is sought for multidisciplinary work (molecular biology, pathology, and clinical research). Fluency in Portuguese is mandatory for patient care and direct communication.

Requirements:

• Degree in Life Sciences and a PhD obtained less than seven years ago in Molecular Biology or Medical Pathophysiology;
• Proven experience in molecular biology techniques, clinical pathology, and translational research with human samples;
• Basic knowledge or strong motivation to work in bioinformatics and omics data analysis;
• Full-time dedication availability;
• Demonstrated ability in scientific communication in English and clinical communication in Portuguese;
• International experience or availability and interest in academic exchange;
• International scientific publications;
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.

Interested candidates must send an email including their CV (Lattes), a statement of interest, and two letters of recommendation to oncomol@unicamp.br and pjuliani@unicamp.br by March 31, 2026.

Candidates selected in the first stage will be invited for an online interview. The position is open to Brazilian and foreign applicants.

The selected candidate will receive a FAPESP Postdoctoral Fellowship in the amount of R$ 12,570.00 per month and a Technical Reserve equivalent to 10% of the annual fellowship amount to cover unforeseen expenses directly related to research activities.

CancerThera is supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) as a Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center (CEPID), headquartered at the Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia da Unicamp (Hemocentro), at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas.

The post FAPESP Postdoctoral Fellowship at CancerThera – General Biology – Clinical Arm first appeared on CEPID CancerThera.

Dear speakers, attendees, and partners,

It is with great honor and pleasure that I welcome you to the 3rd CancerThera Congress, to be held on March 12 and 13, 2026, at the Auditorium of the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Campinas (Unicamp), in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.

This edition was designed to offer a plural and integrative space that encourages the exchange of experiences, the establishment of professional connections, and high-level scientific updating, bringing together professionals, undergraduate and graduate students from diverse fields of knowledge involved in cancer theranostics. We will have the honor of hosting nationally and internationally renowned speakers, who will bring innovative perspectives and globally relevant experiences to enrich our scientific discussions.

CEPID CancerThera, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to health equity and to responsible and sustainable access to new technologies, seeks to align research, innovation, and quality of care that can benefit patients throughout the country. These principles, which guide the work of the entire CancerThera team, will also be reflected in the scientific program of the 3rd CancerThera Congress, fostering debates in both clinical practice and research.

I would like to thank the speakers, who will share their knowledge and experience; the attendees, whose diversity of backgrounds and perspectives will enrich the discussions; and the sponsors and partners, whose support is essential for the realization of this event.

May the 3rd CancerThera Congress be, for each of us, not only a memorable meeting, but also a milestone in the advancement of theranostic research in Oncology. New frontiers of knowledge will be connected in 2026.

Sincerely,

Carmino Antonio de Souza
President of the 3rd CancerThera Congress

The post Welcome letter from the president of the 3rd CancerThera Congress first appeared on CEPID CancerThera.

So, for those of you who would like to learn more about the world of radiopharmaceuticals and the theranostic approach in cancer, we have prepared the content below. In addition to information we have already shared during the educational and outreach activities you participated in, you will find videos, illustrations, and other complementary materials in this post.

What is the theranostic model in cancer?
This Nuclear Medicine approach combines therapy and diagnosis into a single procedure for the care of oncology patients. This model uses special radiopharmaceuticals to identify and destroy tumor cells in a safe, precise, and personalized way.

What are radiopharmaceuticals and what are they used for?
Radiopharmaceuticals are made up of radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes) linked to molecules that target specific cells, tissues, or organs in the human body, as they contain targets to which the radiopharmaceuticals bind—certain types of proteins on the surface of tumors can serve as these targets. Radiopharmaceuticals are used to diagnose through imaging and to treat various types of tumors, such as prostate, bone, and neuroendocrine tumors. The image below illustrates how radiopharmaceuticals are structured (radioisotope > ligand > molecule) and their affinity for the tumor.

Which tumors are most frequently treated with theranostic radiopharmaceuticals?
– Prostate tumors: PSMA-18F and lutetium-177 radiopharmaceuticals.
– Thyroid tumors: iodine-131 radiopharmaceutical.
– Bone tumors: samarium-153 radiopharmaceutical.
– Neuroendocrine tumors: gallium-68 dota and lutetium-177 radiopharmaceuticals.

How are radiopharmaceuticals used in the theranostic approach to cancer? In two steps.

Should I be afraid of radiation used in Nuclear Medicine?

NO! The way nuclear energy and radiation are used in theranostics is very safe. Nevertheless, due to the radiation emitted, their handling and application in humans require special care. To give you an idea of how careful professionals who work with radiopharmaceuticals are, watch the video below. In it, you will see a report by TV Unicamp, produced at the Nuclear Medicine Service of the Hospital de Clínicas at Unicamp, about the handling and disposal of radioactive waste used in diagnosis and treatment.

What is CEPID CancerThera and what does it do?
CEPID CancerThera is a Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center, funded primarily by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). Our full name is Center for Theranostic Innovation in Cancer, and we are based at the University of Campinas (Unicamp), with the participation of the School of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP) and the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos at the University of São Paulo (IQSC/USP).

Our research center is committed to developing new theranostic radiopharmaceuticals, as well as testing new uses for already established radiopharmaceuticals. Through technological innovation, we aim to make the theranostic model more effective, accessible, and affordable for society. In addition, the dissemination of scientific knowledge is one of our goals, aiming to educate the population about cancer prevention and to combat misinformation.

How does CEPID CancerThera conduct its scientific studies?
We adopt an approach called “translational research” to shorten the time between scientific discoveries and their application in patients. Our studies are divided into three main research branches, which operate in an integrated and cyclical manner:

We study how cancer works, identify new targets for treatment, and develop metallopharmaceuticals and radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapy. We also explore new uses for known radiopharmaceuticals.

We evaluate the safety and efficacy of newly created radiopharmaceuticals by testing them in tumor cells and animals, conducting toxicity studies, and determining their suitability for future applications in humans.

We apply in humans the new radiopharmaceuticals created in the basic stage and tested in the preclinical stage, evaluating their efficacy, safety, and possible side effects. This stage is conducted with rigorous technical and ethical criteria to ensure patient well-being.

The results of our research can benefit many people who suffer from cancer, including patients with tumors as well as their families and friends. In this sense, we are committed to building a promising future to support these individuals, and many institutional partners believe in what we do. So much so that we have even become the subject of a video documentary!

The episode “New Perspectives Against Cancer,” the eleventh of the third season of the series Ciência Para Todos, presents the research of CEPID CancerThera in the development of theranostic radiopharmaceuticals. The series, a partnership between FAPESP and Canal Futura, aims to disseminate advances in Brazilian science in a way that is accessible to the public. The content is available on YouTube, on the FAPESP website, and in the series catalog on Globoplay.

The nuclear medicine physicians and professors from the School of Medical Sciences at Unicamp, Elba C. S. C. Etchebehere and Celso Dario Ramos, both principal investigators at CancerThera, were interviewed by the Canal Futura team. In addition, Edson Nóbrega, a businessman, shared his testimony as one of the patients currently benefiting from the research developed at the center.

Watch the episode to learn how theranostics is a promising model in the care of cancer patients:

We are very happy to know that you are interested in what we do and made it to the final paragraph of this post! If you still have any questions, just write to us at this address: imprensa@cancerthera.org.br.

We will be very pleased to talk to you whenever you wish!

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