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Radiation: Radiopharmaceutical:

Another form of radiation treatment that can be used is known as radiopharmaceutical. This is especially important in patients with metastases or spread of the cancer cells from the prostate to the bones. In this treatment, if the platelet and the white blood counts are sufficient, an IV solution with the radioactive material, Sammarium or Strontium, is given. This radioactive material concentrates itself at areas of abnormal bone changes. It can then give a very high, localized amount of radiation to these collected areas.

In clinical trials this type of treatment has been shown to be very effective in:

1)	Controlling pain
2)	Reducing the time it takes for new cancer sites to develop
3)	Decreasing the number of treatments that are required over a period of time for new cancer sites

A side effect of this treatment may include a temporary decrease in the platelets and the white counts and also something known as a pain flare. This is sometimes very disturbing because the pain for which the patient is being treated can be temporarily increased for a short period of time. This is normally just a reaction the tumor has in the bone to the treatment and can be effectively treated with either corticosteroids (to prevent swelling) or narcotic pain medicines.