Radium-223 treatment - radium-223

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User

Posted 24 May 2014 at 14:59

Has anyone experience of Radium-223 treatment.

I have had Abiraterone from May 5th, 2013. After an initial fall, in the last few months my PSA has been steadily rising by a factor of about 1.4 (although I think that the rate of acceleration is now rising) each month. It is now 123. My consultant has just stope my Abiraterone.

In early May I expected to go onto Cabazitaxel, but my consultant referred me to Southampton who are just starting Radium-223 treatment. My first injection is on May 28th.

I was wondering whether anyone here has experience of Radium treatment. It does appear to have far fewer side effects that Cabazitaxel, judging by the SPCs.

Would welcome any experiences.

User

Posted 26 May 2014 at 23:23

I had six injections of Radium 223 last year, finishing at Xmas. No side effects at all. There's a thread of mine on it on the old forum stuff but good luck in finding it :(

Nil desperandum
Allister

User

Posted 27 May 2014 at 11:39

Thanks for that, Allister.

Did it have any effect on PSA?

User

Posted 27 May 2014 at 11:48

None at all. My oncologist says that Radium 223 does not have much impact on PSA but it does have a severe impact on tumours in the bone. Unfortunately, one of its best features is also one of its weaknesses. Alpha particles are (relatively) enormous and do not travel very far, thus penetration of the tumour mass is not as comprehensive as Beta particles. On the other hand they cause huge DNA damage to the cancer cells whilst not damaging the bone marrow as much as other forms of radiation. I got radium on a field trial from Bayer whilst in "good" health. Has it helped? Who knows but I'm glad I got it. I have a friend who could not walk prior to getting Radium 223. http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/editors/tiny_mce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif

Nil desperandum
Allister

User

Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 22:08

Not sure if this will post but I think Alathays has answered my question.
BFN
Julie X

NEVER LAUGH AT A LIVE DRAGON

User

Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 22:16

The Prostate Cancer Research Institute says otherwise in their 2017 update lovey:-

"Radium-223 may also reduce PSA levels. As most know, PSA levels are an indicator of cancer progression, with higher PSA values corresponding to worse outcomes. A significantly larger proportion of the radium-223 patients experienced at least a 30% reduction in PSA levels compared to the men who received a placebo. Although most patients do not experience a decline in PSA, they may notice a slowing of the PSA rise, which is a more common outcome with radium-223."

http://pcri.org/insights-blog/2016/7/8/xofigo-radium-223-an-overview

Edited by member 23 Jan 2017 at 22:17 | Reason: Not specified

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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