The safety and efficacy of radium-223 dichloride for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer

ABSTRACTIntroduction: A number of drugs have been shown to extend life expectancy in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Skeletal related events (SREs) secondary to bone metastases cause significant morbidity for men with CRPC. The α-emitting radiopharmaceutical radium-223 dichloride has been shown to improve overall survival, time to symptomatic skeletal events (SSEs) and quality of life in CRPC.Areas covered: The development of radium-223 from pre-clinical studies to the evidence of efficacy and safety from a phase 3 trial is discussed as well as its pharmacokinetics and metabolism. The integration of radium-223 into routine care for patients with advanced prostate cancer is included including a comparison with other agents in this setting.Expert commentary: The risk/benefit ratio for radium-223 is very similar to that of other agents used in the CRPC setting and is a treatment option for men unsuitable for cytotoxic chemotherapy because of comorbidities. The ALSYMPCA trial demonstrated an impr...