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Advances in emerging field of ‘theranostics’ are a game-changer Millions of patients around the globe rely on the regular and timely production of diagnostic and therapeutic isotopes produced in research reactors and accelerator facilities. Image courtesy IAEA. Advances in medical isotope diagnostics and therapy are holding promise for cancer patients, despite challenges facing the nuclear medical field in recent years related to radionuclide production and supply, rising costs, and stricter regulation.

Medical isotopes are radioactive substances used in various diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to treat various types of cancers and other conditions. They are essential for modern medicine, allowing physicians to visualise and target specific organs, tissues and cells in a patient’s body.

Over more than a decade, personalised medicine using nuclear techniques has been gaining pace, allowing doctors to tailor therapies and treatments to the specific needs and physiology of a patient, and to avoid harm to healthy organs or tissues.

According to Sven Van den Berghe, chief executive of Belgium-based isotope producer PanTera, one technique that has seen significant advances is known as theranostics – the term used to describe the combination of using one radioactive drug to diagnose and a second to deliver therapy to treat the main tumour and any metastatic tumours.

Date: Friday, 14 April 2023
Original article: nucnet.org/news/sector-aims-to-tackle-isotope-supply-problems-as-excitement-grows-over-targeted-therapies-4-4-2023

The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) issued a statement on 26 September welcoming the Cabinet’s decision to approve the acquisition and construction of a new Multipurpose Reactor (MPR).

Date: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newssouth-africa-to-construct-new-research-reactor-9128691

Of the 220 research reactors in operation today, only seven are on the African continent. In other words, with 17.2% of the world population and the strongest expected growth in the coming years, Africans have access to only 3% of the world's nuclear research reactor capacity. Marguerite Leonardi, senior advisor at NPC Consulting & Engineering, and Professor Vincent Lukanda Mwamba, Commissaire Général of the Commissariat Général à l’Energie Atomique, explain why that is a concern and why the research reactor in Kinshasa should be restarted urgently.

Date: Tuesday, 13 October 2020
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Viewpoint-Why-research-reactors-are-so-important-f

The South African government has replaced the entire board of the South Africa Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) following alleged failures in its statutory duties including legislative non-compliance, non-adherence to shareholder instructions, financial mismanagement and a failure to return the country's radioisotope manufacturing facility to full functionality a year after it was shut down due to safety concerns.

Date: Monday, 10 December 2018
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/South-African-government-replaces-Necsa-board

Rusatom Healthcare (part of Rosatom) on 26 July signed a non-binding agreement with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation of (Necsa)  to cooperate on non-power applications of nuclear technology, particularly nuclear medicine.

Date: Monday, 30 July 2018
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newssouth-africa-signs-nuclear-medicine-deal-with-russia-6271504

Rusatom Healthcare - a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom - and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) have signed an agreement to cooperate on non-power applications of nuclear technology, particularly nuclear medicine. Under the agreement, the partners plan to construct two small-scale reactors as well as a cyclotron in South Africa for the production of medical isotopes.

Date: Friday, 27 July 2018
Original article: world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Rosatom,-Necsa-to-cooperate-on-nuclear-medicine