Dr. Saad on Radium-223 in Patients with mCRPC

Fred Saad, MD, FRCS, professor, Department of Surgery, University of Montreal, discusses the use of radium-223 for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

The approved indication for radium-223 is in patients with metastatic disease to the bone, but no visceral disease. Patients should also demonstrate symptoms, though they do not need to be in significant pain, Saad explains. If patients wait too long to seek treatment, they are less likely to receive all six cycles of treatment and the added survival benefit.

Researchers have not witnessed negative effects associated with administering radium-223 into earlier lines of therapy, Saad says. Compared with other treatments, few adverse events occurred with radium-223 in the international early access program. The treatment is also said to be well-tolerated regardless of disease stage.