Spent Nuclear Fuel to Be Used for Production of Radiopharmaceuticals

The United Kingdom has invested over 12 million dollars into a project to develop advanced cancer treatment methods based on lead-212 (Pb-212) radioisotope derived from spent nuclear fuel.

Under the leadership of the UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), the project will use the radionuclide Lead‑212 to create treatments called Targeted Alpha Therapy. UKNNL has developed a method to extract a sustainable supply of Lead-212 from recycled nuclear fuel.

Although radioisotopes are already used worldwide for medical imaging and cancer diagnostics, Targeted Alpha Therapy is a new, promising application. Lead-212 may offer hope to patients whose cancer is currently difficult to treat, thanks to its ability to selectively destroy cancer cells while inflicting minimal damage to healthy tissue — potentially with reduced side-effects.

The United Kingdom possesses substantial reserves of Lead-212 obtained from recycled (spent) nuclear fuel, which opens opportunities for large-scale trials and further development of this therapeutic approach.