TEHRAN- Iran is in clinical stage of producing Yttrium-90 resin microspheres, a radiopharmaceutical that can substantially help liver cancer treatment. 

Radioembolization (Y90) is a minimally invasive procedure that combines embolization and radiation therapy to treat liver cancer. Tiny glass or resin beads filled with the radioactive isotope yttrium Y-90 are placed inside the blood vessels that feed a tumor.

Pars Isotop Company is the main producer of the new radiopharmaceutical, ISNA reported on Sunday. 

In international market, the medicine costs around €5,000 to €6,000, but with its domestic production the prices will get far lower for Iranian patients.Pars Isotop is among the companies that is faced with U.S. sanctions. The company’s activities, however, are mainly in production and development of various radioisotopes, related equipment and services in the fields of medicine and industry. 

With the help of Tehran and Shiraz medical sciences universities, the medicine has already went through the laboratory and preclinical stages and is now on clinical trial. 

Y-90 resin microspheres has been tested on 12 patients with liver cancer. 

In international market, the medicine costs around €5,000 to €6,000, but with its domestic production the prices will get far lower for Iranian patients. 

Apart from catering for the domestic market, it is also possible to export the medicine in the future.  

According to World Cancer Research Fund, Liver cancer is the fifth most commonly occurring cancer in men and the ninth most commonly occurring cancer in women. There were over 840,000 new cases in 2018. 

Radiopharmaceuticals, or medicinal radiocompounds, are a group of pharmaceutical drugs which have radioactivity. Radiopharmaceuticals can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. 

They emit radiation themselves, which is different from contrast media which absorb or alter external electromagnetism or ultrasound. The main group of these compounds are the radiotracers used to diagnose dysfunction in body tissues. While not all medical isotopes are radioactive, radiopharmaceuticals are the oldest and still most common such drugs.

SJ/MQ/MG