Is this news or old wishes?

[Yzinger]

cbc.ca/news/health/cancer-t... Headlines from CBC News_1613_1788901

[jazj]

It's dated one day ago so seems like news to me. Very easy to understand. Basically a new more improved version of Pluvicto? Will be interested to seeing final results of Phase II and III trials.

[Islandboy2021]

This is Radium 225 and there should be a trial for this drug in Vancouver in the near future. Interesting bit at the end when they mention Canada's Drug Agency has recommended that the provinces cover the cost of Pluvicto and they are not in BC. I was told I could get it as user pay only. So I am getting into a trial using LU-177 from another drug company.

[Yzinger in reply to Islandboy2021]

interesting. Good luck and be sure to let the community know how it goes.

[Lost_Sheep]

YES! YES! YES!

Alpha particles damage only the cells VERY close to the radioactive material. Since ligand-binding can deliver the radioactive isotope close to the tumor cells, the product of radioactive decay (whether it is gamma, beta or alpha particles) damage whatever cells it hits. Alpha particles have a VERY short range. Beta particles, much longer range and gamma, even more. So those longer-range products of radiation particles encounter not just the cancer cells, but healthy cells as well, damaging them as collateral damage.

Added benefit: Alpha particles are much more massive than the others; they do more intense damage, so a smaller dose can do the job whereas the lighter particles need a larger dose.

I suggested this to my radiation oncologist over a year ago when I first heard about ligand-bound radiotherapy and was comparing it to external-beam radiation therapy. It was a clinical study being done in Australia.

Worthy of note is that the ligand-binding does not just bind to PSA-expressing cells. There are other parts of the body that get dosed, too. Salivary glands, for one. So, "dry-mouth" syndrome is a risk with this type of systemic treatment. HOWEVER, Boron 10 is an interesting isotope. Its decay emits an alpha particle, but only if exposed to a neutron beam. So, a patient dosed with ligand-bound Boron-10 could be hit with a neutron beam only in the areas of the body known to have (or be at risk of) prostate cancer spread. The neutron beam could be aimed only at selected areas, avoiding others. The beam (and thus, alpha particles) would only be aimed at areas needing treatment.

Now, neutron irradiation is known to cause cancer, so the dose to trigger Boron-10 to release alpha particles would have to be low to maintain safety. But if the neutron beam is less carcinogenic than standard (currently used) external beam cancer-treatment radiation therapies, this will be useful at limiting collateral damage in the patients.

The other product of Boron-10 (nuclear decay) is lithium, which should provide no health effects. Eventual washing out of leftover Boron-10 and excess lithium should be addressed, as well.

References:

google.com/search?q=boron+a...

google.com/search?client=fi...

[addicted2cycling in reply to Lost_Sheep]

Lost_Sheep wrote -- " .... Now, neutron irradiation is known to cause cancer, so the dose to trigger Boron-10 to release alpha particles would have to be low to maintain safety. But if the neutron beam is less carcinogenic than standard (currently used) external beam cancer-treatment radiation therapies, this will be useful at limiting collateral damage in the patients.

-----The other product of Boron-10 is lithium, which should provide no health effects. Eventual washing out of leftover Boron-10 and excess lithium should be addressed, as well...."

Thanks for that reply -- positively got a CHARGE from it. 🤣