Uptake of radiolabeled anti-CEA antibodies in human colorectal primary tumors as a function of tumor mass.

An inverse correlation has been demonstrated between tumor uptake (u, in units of % injected dose/kg) of monoclonal antibody (Mab) and tumor mass (m, in units of g) for colorectal carcinoma in a series of 19 consecutive patients. The correlation (rho = -0.510), developed using surgical samples was of the form u = amb and was significant at the 2% level of confidence. All tumors were positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and the radiopharmaceutical was an iodine-131 labeled anti-CEA Mab. Such correlations have been predicted earlier from murine and rat tumor uptake data. The slope parameter (b) was -0.362, a number consistent with the previous value (-0.382) found in anti-CEA experiments in mice bearing human xenograft LS174T tumors.