Utilization Patterns and Survival in Older Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treated with Radium-223 in the United...

Previous research on Radium-223 treatment patterns in metastatic prostate cancer has been limited to select sites, oncology practices, or claims databases. Limited data exists on the use and outcomes of Radium-223 in Medicare population the largest public insurance provider for people aged 65 years and older in the United States. Therefore, this study used a nationwide population database of cancer registries linked to Medicare claims to examine Ra-223 treatment patterns, factors associated with treatment completion, and their associations with survival outcomes.

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 1062 Medicare beneficiaries (≥ 66 years) with prostate cancer who initiated Ra-223 treatment between January 2016 and June 2020. Eligible men had 12 months of continuous Medicare Parts A/B/D enrollment prior to Ra-223 initiation and were followed for a minimum of 6 months. Primary outcomes included completion of ≥ 5 cycles of Ra-223 and overall survival. Factors influencing completion were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression, and survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier and proportional hazards regressions.

The cohort was 79.9% nonhispanic White, 6.8% Hispanic, and 6.1% nonhispanic Black, with a mean age of 75.6 years (SD = 6.6). Overall, 59.4% completed ≥ 5 cycles. Men receiving Ra-223 as first-line (21.1%) or second-line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer(mCRPC) therapy (44.1%) were more likely to complete treatment than those receiving third-line or later (aOR = 1.76,1.56, 95% CI, [1.22-2.54], [1.17-2.08]). Completing ≥ 5 cycles of Ra-223 was associated with longer survival (18.5 vs. 11.1 months, P < .001; aHR = 0.51, 95% CI, [0.44, 0.59]), as was first- or second-line therapy use (18.4, 14.8 months vs. 13.8 months, P < .001; aHR = 0.56,0.82; 95% CI, [0.45-0.68], [0.69-0.96]) compared to Ra-233 as third-line or later.

The majority of men received ≥ 5 cycles of Ra-223. Early initiation of Ra-223 was associated with higher completion rates and better survival outcomes, underscoring the importance of early Ra-223 use in managing mCRPC.