This therapy is a nuclear medicine procedure for the treatment of bone metastases of advanced prostate cancer.

The effect of Xofigo® is based on the alpha emitter 223Ra, which effectively embeds itself in the cells of bone metastases and limits their growth. The substance's effect only occurs in the smallest areas, sparing the surrounding healthy tissue.

When is radionuclide therapy with Xofigo® indicated?

This treatment is used in patients with prostate cancer if the cancer leads to painful metastases in the bones, even though they have already been treated with maximum testosterone reduction.

Whether treatment with Xofigo® can help and whether it is the right approach should always be decided on an interdisciplinary basis with your urologist and in a personal discussion between doctor and patient.

The Therapy

For this therapy, the therapeutic substance with the radionuclide radium-223 is administered intravenously. As the radium behaves similarly to calcium in the body, it is explicitly deposited where bone remodeling or metastases occur. There, the radium irradiates the metastases from the inside.

The therapy can be carried out on an outpatient basis.

Possible side effects

The following side effects are possible, but do not necessarily occur:

• Allergic reactions to the therapeutic substance
• Nausea, diarrhea
• Tiredness, fatigue
• Reduction in the blood cell count