Lu-177 and cremation: Since some of us... - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Lu-177 and cremation

Cmdrdata profile image
16 Replies

Since some of us in this group have had or will someday have Lu-177, please be aware that if you later desire to be cremated, your cremation facility need to be informed of this fact. Evidently, Lu-177 may cause the radioactive material to be exposed to the crematory worker. See this: apple.news/Ab2c64d-CTiCEFbY...

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Cmdrdata profile image
Cmdrdata
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16 Replies
Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

The half-life of Lu-177 is 6.6 days. That means that within 2 months there is almost none left. Much more of an issue is brachytherapy with I-125. It has a half-life of 59.5 days, so it doesn't come down to negligible levels for about a year. Crematoria often remove the prostates of men who have had brachytherapy.

andrew61 profile image
andrew61 in reply toTall_Allen

Thanks - exactly right!

Cmdrdata profile image
Cmdrdata in reply toTall_Allen

I posted the article since it was from a mainstream magazine (Time). TA is correct that in all sorts of radiation sources “half-life” is a critical info that they did not mention. Looking back, it could be that this is more sensational news reporting. It is perhaps more important if the cremated patient died and cremated soon after treatment. The cremation process is probably not under strict medical control for radiation side effects.

Valree profile image
Valree

Is it also true that during treatment you have to stay three feet away from people and if so for how long?

Rileyjoe profile image
Rileyjoe in reply toValree

yes, it is true. My husband is receiving LU-177 now in a clinical trial. I believe it says to stay a few feet away and sleep in separate beds/rooms for about three days. I wear a face mask for a few days afterwards to bring him food, etc. Also use separate bathrooms.

larry_dammit profile image
larry_dammit

Even when your dead cancer and treatment is terrible 😢😜😜😜

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply tolarry_dammit

Death

Taxes

Prostate Cancer

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 02/28/2019 6:58 PM EST

monte1111 profile image
monte1111

There is always one post that brings me laughs and happiness. Isn't there a well respected medical book called Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers? The Crematoria removes the prostates? Besides the ghoulish part of non-medical people removing prostates, what do they do with them? Is there a landfill especially for radioactive prostates? I agree with Nalakrats: Really, are you kidding me!!!

Moespy profile image
Moespy

Here is are articles from Reuters, CNN and NIH that may help with the credibility of what is being purported.

reuters.com/article/us-heal...

cnn.com/2019/02/26/health/r...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

FCoffey profile image
FCoffey in reply toMoespy

Joking aside, the news reports are concentrated BS designed to sell clicks. They report on a single incident where it was possible to detect Tc99m, not Lu177 after a man was cremated. Every man who has had a bone scan has been exposed to Tc99m; it is the most commonly used medical radioisotope. Tc99m has an even shorter half-life than Lu177m, about 6 hours versus 6 days.

Detection does not mean danger; the instruments are extremely sensitive.

The PMC article doesn't discuss Lu177 at all, but I-125, the radioactive isotope of iodine used in the seeds for PCa brachytherapy. I-125 has a half-life of 60 days, after 20 months (10 half-lives) the levels have decayed to negligible values.

The article admits that, even in the case of a man who died 5 days after the seeds were implanted. The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) has approved of cremation of cadavers containing radioactive isotopes for over 31 years and gave explicit approval in this case.

It was a non-event. They were able to detect the I-125 in the cremains, but again that is evidence of the sensitivity of the available instruments. The article notes that

"The radiation level dropped to background level when the plastic bag was placed in a metal urn."

Those of us with prostate cancer have a lot of things to worry about. Radiation from cremation is not one of them. It is not necessary to inform the crematorium, nor is any special approval required.

FCoffey profile image
FCoffey

Reuters, CNN and NIH: fake news presstitutes copying one another.

One cold winter day a long time ago, a wizened veteran cowboy lay dying.

He called his grandson Johnnie to his side and said, "Johnnie, listen to me carefully.

"For I will give you the secret to a long and fruitful life.

"Each morning, no matter what, when you eat your breakfast,

"stir a pinch of gunpowder into your oatmeal."

Johnnie took his grandfather's advice every day of his life

And he lived to be 112 years old.

When at last he died, old and satisfied with years,

He left 7 children

30 grandchildren

40 great grandchildren

and a 50-foot crater where the crematorium used to be.

Pizzle123 profile image
Pizzle123 in reply toFCoffey

FC , Damn I thought you were serious for a minute that is gold lol

Garbonzeaux profile image
Garbonzeaux in reply toFCoffey

That is the funniest thing I have seen all week. Almost as funny as the Lu177 "news".

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

My instructions are to use my barbecue grill. That'll should get the neighbor's mouths watering.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 02/28/2019 6:56 PM EST

And the half life of Paladium 103 is 16.95 days. So depending when one dies after treatment it is not a problem. The major caution I received was to not let my grand daughter sit in my lap for three months to be safe. Sex! Immediately, go for it but wear a condom...... lol and, ...... don’t break it.

GD

Cmdrdata profile image
Cmdrdata

What is sex? It’s been so long I forgot what that is :-)

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