Development in the study of radium-223 chloride for treating castration-resistant prostate carcinoma with bone metastases

Prostate carcinoma rates and mortalities are increasing worldwide. The therapeutic landscape of castration-resistant prostate carcinoma (CRPC) has changed rapidly. Radium-223 chloride, which is a radiopharmaceutical agent, targets bone metastasis by emitting high-energy alpha-particles with extremely short range ( < 100 μm). This chemical is effective in reducing mortality without increasing toxicity. Thus, this agent has the potential to become a new alternative for treating patients with CRPC. The Food and Drug Administration approved radium-223 dichloride for treating patients with CRPC, symptomatic bone metastases, and unknown visceral metastatic disease in 2013. Therefore, combination and sequencing strategies will be future research directions. (authors)