1. Where can I receive radiopharmaceutical treatment?
3. How long do radiopharmaceutical injections take?
4. Will health insurance cover the cost of radiopharmaceutical treatment?
2. How many treatments will I need, and how often?
FAQs About Radiopharmaceuticals
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You’ll most likely receive the treatment from a radiation oncologist or a provider at a nuclear medicine treatment facility. If you live in or near a city, you probably live close to a treatment center, but if you live in a rural area, you may have to travel to a more urban area to receive the medication.
You can receive up to six treatments of either lutetium-177 or radium-223, depending on your body’s reaction to the drug, says Hope. Lutetium-177 can be given once every six weeks; radium-223 can be given once every four weeks.
It takes 1 minute to administer an injection of radium-223. Lutetium-177 infusions take longer — possibly three or four hours.
Medicare and most insurance companies cover radiopharmaceutical treatment for prostate cancer. If you have questions about the cost of the medication, talk to your doctor and insurance company about your options
