RA-223 Xofigo

Caveat:  Once again I remind the reader that I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.  I'm just a guy with Stage IV Prostate Cancer sharing so those of you unfortunate to be coming up behind me can do it without so much trepidation.

For most of you this will be the driest reading I've ever posted as it is purely informational and very specific to those of us and our caregivers fighting the Effing Evil Empire with any and all means. 

RA-223 or trade name Xofigo [pronounced Zo-fe-go all long vowels] is a Radium isotope.  In some mystical physics mumbo jumbo RA-223 is in love with calcium.  For those of us with Castrate Resistant P.C. and bone mets this relationship is a great thing.

Where there is a met there is a calcium producing machine. Keep in mind your bones are replaced about every ten years.  Slower as we get older.  If your bone has an ouch, in this case a met, the calcium production is much more prevalent.  This is why they give you an isotope that is attracted to calcium when you have a bone scan.  That isotope also loves calcium and is the glowy part of the resulting bone scan picture.  [I think in the past I might have posted one of my scans if you are curious]

Xofigo is quite new.  In fact so my new my main Oncologist wasn't familiar with it.  This doesn't mean my Onc isn't in the know it means that the medical bureaucracy, even in a world class cancer center, is slow slow slow when adding to their pharmacology.  However, my Radio-Oncologist was familiar with the drug so just make sure you keep asking or bring a web site for reference.

Without becoming even more boring there are many different types of radiation.  For example, Gamma radiation would be the one that will make you all crispy when someone drops the bomb.  Additionally there are different types of atomic particles given off during radioactive decay.  This is a good thing.

RA-223 emits an Alpha particle.  This is new in the treatment of bone mets.  The Alpha particle is much less active than Beta particles and the area the Alpha particle effects, in the case of RA-223, is measured in cell widths.  This allows the RA-223 to embrace its love for calcium, emit its Alpha and kill cancer cells all without terrible bone marrow damage.  Please remember...this is not a cure.

The "drug" is administered in a painless IV push and it takes more time in the waiting room than it does to get your dose.  It is painless, well for me as I don't have a needle issue.  I'm on my second dose with no particular side effects which for my body is pretty damn amazing.  Especially when I seem to always fall into that "less than 1% of patients suffered such and such side effect.  

Six doses over six months.  They will keep close watch on your blood.  I found it easiest to time my monthly Onc blood test to within five days of the Xofigo [five days is the rule] treatment so I don't have to make so many trips.

I won't bore you with increased survivability stats and more technical crap.  You can look it up or ask your Onc.  Just thought I'd share so you all could see there is another new option out there in the ever changing landscape of the fight against the Effing Evil Empire.

I'm assuming some of my posts are entertaining.  Please accept my apologies as I know this one is not.

Talk to you later

Defend Us From Dirt

A few days ago, Connor and I were suffering cabin fever on a sweltering summer's day, both Connor and I welcomed my wife's announcement that she needed to go get a pickup load of dirt as a much needed escape.

The "dirt" place is about three miles from the house and Connor did the dog thing all the way out there, tail wagging and jowls flopping in the breeze.  Hell I wasn't driving so I did pretty much the same thing sans tail.

Arriving at the "dirt" place Connor watched attentively, this was all new to him, the money exchange at the scale house.  We were told where to park and while waiting for the loader Connor enthusiastically took in all the heavy equipment traffic seemingly running randomly amok about us.

As the front end loader pulled up to the truck things began to change for Connor and he adopted his worry look which is similar to his "why aren't you playing me" look.

As the dirt began to fall from the bucket into the back of the pickup Connor decided he wasn't really sure what to do.  Finally the sound of the bucket being shaken back and forth to get the last of the dirt out was too much and Connor dove down to the floor cowering behind the drivers seat.

As we started to drive off Connor repositioned himself on the transmission hump facing the pile of dirt that was seemingly chasing him.  For the entire three miles Connor wouldn't respond, or face forward which would mean taking his eyes off that dangerous pile of dirt following us.

Probably unkind of me but I smiled and laughed the entire three miles.

What's the point of this post.  Well reading back I don't see any Facebookisms so that can't be the point.  I suppose one could say the moral of the story is no matter how complicated your life take time to notice things.  Or don't be afraid to try new things.  Then again...It is, to me, just an amusing time that made me laugh and laugh which felt really good.  Perhaps you had to be there.

Talk to you later.