Dr. Sartor on Significance of Radium-223 for Community Oncologists

Oliver Sartor, MD, medical oncologist, Tulane University School of Medicine, discusses key points for community oncologists regarding radium-223 for the treatment of prostate cancer.

This is the first time community oncologists will have access to an alpha particle-emitting radioactive therapeutic agent, said to be a novel concept, Sartor explains. Also, radium-223 is known as a bone-targeted agent that can prolong survival in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. It has yet to be determined whether it will have similar effects in other patient populations.

Radium-223 is a well-tolerated agent, Sartor says, with minimal toxicities that include diarrhea and thrombocytopenia.