Recent Pre-Clinical Advancements in Nuclear Medicine: Pioneering the Path to a Limitless Future

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This review summarizes recent advances in the nuclear medicine theranostic approach. It covers the repurposing of historical radiotracers for new indications and highlights new radiotracers in solid malignancies. Additionally, the potential of combining theranostics with immunotherapy is explored, underscoring the promise of personalized and targeted therapies. The progress in theranostics signifies an exciting era in nuclear medicine with potential benefits for diverse cancer types. ABSTRACT: The theranostic approach in oncology holds significant importance in personalized medicine and stands as an exciting field of molecular medicine. Significant achievements have been made in this field in recent decades, particularly in treating neuroendocrine tumors using 177-Lu-radiolabeled somatostatin analogs and, more recently, in addressing prostate cancer through prostate-specific-membrane-antigen targeted radionuclide therapy. The promising clinical results obtained in these indications paved the way for the further development of this approach. With the continuous discovery of new molecular players in tumorigenesis, the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals, and the potential combination of theranostics agents with immunotherapy, nuclear medicine is poised for significant advancements. The strategy of theranostics in oncology can be categorized into (1) repurposing nuclear medicine agents for other indications, (2) improving existing radiopharmaceuticals, and (3) developing new theranostics agents for tumor-specific antigens. In this review, we provide an overview of theranostic development and shed light on its potential integration into combined treatment strategies.