Dr. McKay on the Utility of Radium-223 in the Treatment of mCRPC

Rana R. McKay, MD, assistant professor of medicine and medical oncologist at the University of California, San Diego, discusses the utility of radium-223 (Xofigo) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

When considering treatment for patients with mCRPC, looking at real-world data is important, says McKay. It is becoming clear understanding is that mCRPC is probably an undertreated disease, adds McKay. Many patients may receive a first-line therapy for mCRPC but many never receive second- or third-line therapy. Some agents have been shown to improve overall survival (OS) in this patient population, such as radium-223.

The first-step for any practicing oncologist is to treat the disease, says McKay. There may be various reasons to not treat a patient, but some of the available drugs have proven to be life-prolonging. Agents are moving into the castration-sensitive space as well, which is actually resulting in decreased options for those with mCRPC, says McKay. Radium-223 is a good agent to use in patients with mCRPC who have bone metastases, concludes McKay.