Dr. Shore Comments on the Approval of Radium-223

Neal D. Shore, MD, FACS, medical director, Carolina Urologic Research Center, Myrtle Beach, discusses the approval of radium-223 for patients with bone metastases from prostate cancer.

Shore believes that the FDA approved radium-223 so quickly because of the robust data regarding efficacy and toleration. Radium-223 demonstrated an improvement in survival and delay in skeletal complications for patients with bone metastases and was well-tolerated, with no significant myelosuppression. As the radioisotope is cleared through the intestinal tract and excreted fecally, mild events of diarrhea were observed, Shore says.

Radium-223 is given intravenously over a period of about 45-60 seconds and is administered once every 4 weeks for 6 administrations. Additionally, Shore says, the agent must be administered by someone with the appropriate licensure.