Radium 223: how can we optimize this new tool for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer?

Radium 223 is an alpha-emitting intravenous radiotherapy approved for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The approved indication covers men with pain from bony metastatic disease and no visceral involvement; however, questions remain as to optimal patient selection and timing of this treatment relative to other life-extending therapies for mCRPC. Limited data exist to guide clinicians on how to position radium 223 in the therapeutic sequence, however, some theoretical considerations and data derived from the ALSYMPCA trial populations pre- and postdocetaxel will be outlined. Subgroup analyses may provide some insight into patient selection.