Dr. Morris on Challenges of Radium-223 Treatment in Prostate Cancer

Michael J. Morris, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the challenges associated with radium-223 treatment in prostate cancer.

In a phase I/IIa clinical trial evaluating the effects of radium-223 with docetaxel versus docetaxel alone on bone biomarkers, patients who received the combination regimen had a greater decline in tALP and bone formation markers bALP and P1NP.

It is particularly difficult to determine whether or not patients are deriving benefit from radium-223 treatment, says Morris. This is because the usual consideration of prostate-specific antigen testing doesn’t apply.

According to Morris, this highlights the importance for bone biomarkers and following patients throughout treatment.

Next steps include evaluating this regimen’s relationship to survival in a phase III trial.