A new tumor imaging agent--111In-bleomycin complex. Comparison with 67Ga-citrate and 57Co-bleomycin in tumor-bearing animals.

We have found a new 111In-bleomycin complex (BLMC), which has high affinity to tumor, does not bind to transferrin and is stable in vivo. Distribution in animals bearing glioma, hepatoma, or mammary adenocarcinoma at 48 hours showed: the ratios of tumor to blood, brain, heart, lung, liver, pancreas, stomach, and femur were 1.4-22.4 times as high for 111In-BLMC as for 67Ga-citrate. In mammary adenocarcinoma, 111In-BLMC bound more to viable and 57Co-Bleomycin (BLM) more to necrotic tumor. In viable tumor, the concentration of 111In-BLMC was similar to that of 57Co-BLM. The ratios of tumor to stomach and pancreas were higher, to blood, brain, muscle, heart, and femur were lower for 111In-BLMC than those for 57Co-BLM. The ratios of tumor to lung, liver, spleen, skin, and kidney were similar for the two compounds. Tumors were imaged more distinctly with the new 111In-BLMC and 57Co-BLM than with 67Ga-citrate. 111In-BLMC is promising for tumor imaging.