The vast majority of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) develop bone metastases.
Bone metastases are a source of significant morbidity and affect quality of life in these patients. Several bone-targeting agents are approved for the treatment of bone metastases in prostate cancer, including bisphosphonates, denosumab, and radiopharmaceuticals. Radium-223 is a novel first-in-class alpha-emitting radiopharmaceutical that has been approved for treatment of patients with mCRPC with bone metastases. Radium-223 delivers cytotoxic radiation to the sites of bone metastases and offers the advantage of minimal myelosuppression. The landmark Phase III ALSYMPCA trial demonstrated that, in addition to providing bone-related palliation, radium-223 can also prolong overall survival in patients with mCRPC with bone metastases in the absence of visceral metastases and in the absence of lymphadenopathy greater than 3 cm. Ongoing trials will further elucidate its use in sequence or combination with other available therapies for mCRPC.
Written by:
El-Amm J, Aragon-Ching JB. Are you the author?
Division of Hematology and Oncology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Reference: Onco Targets Ther. 2015 May 18;8:1103-9.
doi: 10.2147/OTT.S44291
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 26056474