[ RadSafe ] Comment and Open Question re Ra-223 Chloride

[Brennan, Mike (DOH)]

There was a presentation on Ra-223 at the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) meeting last week.  The presenter said that between Ra-223 and the next several decay products (until you get to one with a fairly long half life, that might be expected to wander away) 95% of the energy is in alpha particles, with, of course, very short mean path lengths inside the body.  The idea is that Ra-223 is taken in by fast reproducing bone cells (the cancer) and in a fairly short time decays, frying the cell it is in and some of those around it.   

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Alston
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 11:45 AM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Comment and Open Question re Ra-223 Chloride

Folks

1.	Bayer renamed “Alpharadin” to “Xofigo”.

2.	It was my impression that they were developing it to treat the pain
from bony mets, the appeal being that the irradiation is so much more local than the high-E beta emitters.  However, it looks like the studies were aimed at showing that it was effective generally in treating metastases to the bone, which they demonstrated by the increased survival (</= 36% and counting), and the fact that people got relief from pain, so their competition is more with XBRT, maybe.

3.	I have to wonder how much use it is really going to get.  Look at
the history of Bexxar, Zevalin, Quadramet, and Metastron.  Your thoughts?

Cheers
cja
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