radium-223 + radiotherapy

radium-223 + radiotherapy is a combination therapeutic regimen being investigated for the treatment of bone-metastatic prostate cancer. Radium-223 dichloride is a targeted alpha-emitting radiopharmaceutical that acts as a calcium mimetic, selectively binding to areas of increased bone turnover (hydroxyapatite) within metastatic lesions. Once localized, it emits high-energy, short-range alpha particles that induce double-strand DNA breaks, leading to cell death while sparing surrounding bone marrow. This is combined with external beam radiotherapy, such as Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), to provide enhanced local control of specific metastatic sites. The University of Utah has conducted clinical trials (e.g., NCT03304483) evaluating this combination in hormone-naive men with oligometastatic disease, utilizing [18F]fluciclovine PET/CT as a companion imaging tool to assess treatment response in bone lesions.

Brand names

Xofigo

Other names

radium-223 dichloride + radiotherapyradium-223 + stereotactic body radiotherapyradium-223 + SBRTradium-223 + EBRT