Uptake of indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody ZME-018 as a function of tumor size in a patient with melanoma

The accumulation of an Indium-111-labeled monoclonal antibody (MoAb), ZME-018, in melanoma tumors in a patient was determined by sequential, quantitative gamma camera imaging. The amount and concentration of In-111 in each tumor changed in a characteristic pattern with time, reaching a peak at day 3 followed by a steady clearance. The concentration of In-111 in the tumor and the ratios of tumor to whole-body or blood decreased as the size of the tumor increased. These results were interpreted to indicate that the fraction of active, perfused tumor decreased as the melanoma lesions increased in size. The maximum number of MoAb molecules bound per melanoma cell was calculated to be about 35,000. The implications of these observations for radioimmunoimaging and therapy are significant.