Neutron-capture therapy of human cancer: in vivo results on tumor localization of boron-10-labeled antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen in the GW-39 tumor model system.

Antibody against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was conjugated with p-[1,2-dicarba-closo-[1-3H]do-decaboran(12)-2-yl] benzenediazonium ion by an azo-coupling reaction, resulting in 30 boron atoms per IgG molecule with no loss of antibody protein. Antibody immunoreactivity was not appreciably affected by this conjugation and was stable after incubation in vitro in hamster plasma for 24 hr. The efficacy of the boron-conjugated anti-CEA IgG for localizing selectively in CEA-containing human colonic carcinomas propagated in the hind leg musculature of hamsters was evaluated by labeling the antibodies with 131I and determining distribution of the radioactivity in vivo. The results show that the boron-conjugated antibodies retain selective localization in the tumors, thus indicating their suitability for transporting boron-10 to tumors for use in neutron-capture therapy of cancer.