Zhidie Huang,1 Yiwen Li,1 Min Li,1 Xiang Liu,1 Xiaoyan Duan,2,3 Jianbo Li2,3 

1Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, People’s Republic of China; 3Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Hohhot, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Jianbo Li, The Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010050, People’s Republic of China, Email lijianbo_1235@msn.cn

Abstract: Molecular imaging in nuclear medicine has been employed extensively in recent years for tumor-targeted diagnosis and treatment that is attributed to its non-invasive property, which enables visualized functional localization. This functionality relies on the development of radionuclide molecular probes designed with the objective of identifying specific targets on the surface of tumors. Epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM) are considered to be a promising target as an antigenic marker for its widely present and integral to the processes associated with tumor occurrence and progression. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in EpCAM-targeted radionuclide probes, focusing specifically on a range of primary ligands, including DARPins (Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins), antibodies, and aptamers, and evaluates the benefits and challenges, potential future directions of these radioactive probes.

Keywords: epithelial cell adhesion molecule, nuclear medicine imaging, molecular imaging, tumor targeted imaging