3'-Fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine

F-3'-Fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine or F-FLT is a tumor-specific PET tracer (radiopharmaceutical) . FLT is suitable for monitoring how tumor responds on cytostatic therapy. It accumulates in proliferating cells - it indicates the activity of ensyme thymidine kinase which characterise the activity of cell division. FLT is phosphorylated as thymidine before incorporating into DNA. Thymidine is essential for DNA replication. Considering missing 3-hydroxy group, polymerisation of DNA is stopped by incorporating of FLT. FLT indicates change of tumor cells proliferation by tracking the restoration of nucleosides from degenerated DNA.