Dr. McKay on the Real-World Utilization of Radium-223 in mCRPC

Rana R. McKay, MD, assistant professor of medicine and medical oncologist at the University of California, San Diego, discusses results from an analysis examining the real-world utilization of radium-223 (Xofigo) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

The analysis was not meant to examine the right sequence of radium-223, but to show that there is no increased toxicity or decline in the amount of chemotherapy a patient may receive when they are treated with radium first, explains McKay. The study also characterized how radium-223 is be used in the real-world setting. Investigators set out to understand how many patients are being treated with radium-223 as monotherapy and how many are receiving it in combination with another agent in order to gain insight into real-world practice patterns.

Reults showed that about 40% of patients are receiving radium-223 in combination with an androgen receptor (AR) targeted agent, which in the majority of cases is enzalutamide (Xtandi). Although that does not necessarily appear on label use of radium-223, in real-world practice, the agent is being used concurrently with AR-targeting agents, says McKay.

It is important to stress the use of bone-strengthening agents when radium-223 is used, as those who receive the agent are at risk for fractures, adds McKay. This research painted a picture of how radium-223 is being administered in the real-world setting and provided insight into the role of this agent in the treatment of patients with mCRPC, concludes McKay.