Cancer patients fighting one of the toughest forms of the disease – neuroblastoma – now have another treatment option at Texas Children’s Cancer Center.
I-131 MIBG, a targeted nuclear medicine therapy that combines metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) with radioactive iodine (I-131), is now being offered at Texas Children’s Cancer Center, one of only a few centers in the nation where children can receive treatment with I-131 MIBG.
The therapy is administered intravenously and takes less than two hours. However once the infusion is complete, the patient needs to stay in a specially-equipped, lead-lined hospital room for several days for monitoring.
The Cancer Center in partnership with the Department of Pediatric Radiology opened an I-131 MIBG therapy suite January 25 on the ninth floor of West Tower. The suite contains three rooms: a lead-lined patient room where the therapy is administered, an adjoining room with a lead-lined viewing window where family members can spend the night and be with their child throughout the entire procedure, and an entry area where clinicians can meet, consult and observe the patient.
At an intimate ribbon cutting for the new suite, Deputy Director of the Cancer Center Dr. Susan Blaney said the opening of the suite represents a “tremendous milestone and a phenomenal effort on behalf of professionals from across the hospital.”
“Neuroblastoma is very challenging to treat and to have this option to offer patients to help them conquer this disease is tremendous,” she said, adding that it can be used to treat patients locally as well as regionally and beyond since there are only a handful of pediatric hospitals in the nation equipped with the expertise and infrastructure to offer the treatment.
The Department of Pediatric Radiology was heavily involved in the planning, design, simulation and execution of the suite and members of its nuclear radiology staff will administer the treatment.
“Being able to offer this treatment is a testament to our multidisciplinary approach to caring for our patients,” said Nuclear Radiology Division Chief Dr. Robert Orth. “By working with our Cancer Center colleagues, we can pull together our expertise to provide opportunities for the best possible outcomes.”
Co-Director of Texas Children’s Cancer Center’s Neuroblastoma Program Dr. Jennifer Foster said being able to offer I-131 MIBG therapy makes the Cancer Center a one-stop-shop for neuroblastoma patients and opens the door for additional referrals from areas across the country and globe. The suite also gives physicians like herself the ability to explore the use of I-131 MIGB therapy in combination with other therapies as part of novel clinical trials.
“We are very excited about having this treatment capability at Texas Children’s,” Foster said.
Patrick DeClaire, a neuroblastoma patient at the Cancer Center, and his family attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I’m so pleased that families like ours will have the option of receiving this therapy at Texas Children’s,” Laurie DeClaire, Patrick’s mother, said.
