Targeted alpha therapy is safe and effective for treating metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer when other anticancer agents have failed, show results from the largest trial to date.

International researchers say actinium-225 prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) radioligand therapy (RLT) has a “substantial antitumour effect”, with most treated patients experiencing a decline in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels.

Their retrospective study included 488 men (mean age 68) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) across four countries, including Australia, who received at least one cycle of the IV alpha-emitting therapy.

The median PSA level at baseline was 170ng/mL, and previous lines of treatment included docetaxel, cabazitaxel, abiraterone, enzalutamide, radium-223 dichloride and lutetium-177 PSMA RLT.