RHENIUM-186-HEDP PALLIATIVE TREATMENT IN DISSEMINATED BONE METASTASESDUE TO PROSTATE-CANCER

Prostate carcinoma is the most commonly associated with osseous metast ases malignancy in males. The lesions, being usually of a mixed sclero tic/lytic variety and less often of the pure sclerotic type need to be treated by a bone seeking radioactive element with an as low as possi ble radiobiological burden on the surrounding (peritumoral) tissues. R henium-186-HEDP was used to treat these osseous metastatic lesions due to its bone seeking kinetics attractive radiochemical properties. Of a total of 16 prostate cancel patients, 3 experiment loss of pain, 8 e xperienced obvious and 2 some improvement. Na change was observed by 3 patients. Ten patients manifested a flare syndrome increasing pain ap proximately 2 to 6 days, after Re-186-HEDP i.v. application. Six patie nts showed a definite and 9 a slight decrease in platelet levels and a bsolute number of polymorphonuclear white blood cells, up to fourth we ek following treatment. One patient underwent a whale blood transfusio n and in 2 peripheral neuropathy was observed lasting about 9 to 12 da ys. Re-186-HEDP appears to be a promising new metal ion complex for th e palliation of painful bone metastases in prostate cancer. Compared t o Sr-89 therapy, it shows a longer analgetic efficacy and has the adva ntage of emitting gamma rays, a fact which facilitates dosimetric calc ulations.