[Personal experience using radioimmunoguided surgery (RIGS)].

Radio Immuno Guided Surgery (RIGS) is a technique that has numerous uses in oncology. It is characterised by a multidisciplinary approach by nuclear physician and surgeon for diagnosis and treatment; it uses colloid radiotracers, monoclonal antibodies or non-immunological tracers. We adopted this technique in 281 patients: 256 (91.9%) (range 26-82) with breast disease (breast cancer or occult breast lesions) and 25 (8.9%) (range 42-84) with colorectal cancer localized or recurrent. We used monoclonal antibodies (ArcitumoMab 99mTc-labelled) for colorectal carcinomas and aggregates of human serum albumin 99mTc-labelled for Radioguided Occult Lesion Localization (ROLL) and Sentinel Lymph-Node Biopsy (SLNB). All patients were studied preoperatively by routine blood tests, instrumental exams and tumoral markers. Amongst patients with breast disease, 142 breast cancers and 114 occult breast lesions were found. Among patients with colorectal disease, 8 cases had localized colorectal cancer and 17 cases had locoregional recurrence and/or metastasis. In all cases pathologic sites were detected by probe during surgery. The RIGS is indicated for ROLL and SLNB; nevertheless it is also suggested for pre- and intraoperatively staging of primary and recurrent colorectal cancers. This method gives a chance for a radical surgical and oncologic treatment in localized and recurrent cancer. Prospective studies are needed in order to estimate survival and usefulness of this methodology.