Prostate Cancer

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been recognized as a potential source of prostate cancer seeding to distant metastatic sites (typically bone) for over a century, and with ongoing improvements in isolation and characterization methodology, CTCs are now being more rigorously investigated as potential predictive biomarkers in men with mCRPC.

Despite what many believe, not all radiopharmaceuticals are just for pain palliation, according to Phillip J. Koo, MD.

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Stacy Loeb, MD discusses how these PSA tests work, what their benefits are, and what urological specialists need to know in order to best utilize them.

Cooperberg says a growing body of evidence dictates that surgery in prostate cancer may be a more effective local therapy than radiation alone.

The amount of vitamin D in a man's blood could be an effective biomarker to identify an aggressive form of prostate cancer, doubly so for men who are considering active surveillance.

An abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) plus prednisone combination showcased an 11.8-month improvement in overall survival (OS) when compared with prednisone and placebo in less advanced, chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Men whose prostate cancer is treated with radiotherapy had a higher risk of developing secondary malignancies in the bladder, colon, and rectum, as compared with men who were not exposed to radiotherapy.

The FDA has accepted a supplemental new drug application for a capsulated form of enzalutamide for review in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This application includes findings from the head-to-head studies, TERRAIN and STRIVE.

With no significant difference between intermittent and continuous androgen-deprivation therapy, patients with prostate cancer may experience an improvement in their quality of life with the former.

While still in its early stages, integrative genomic testing could be the future for personalizing therapy for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), according to Tomasz M. Beer, MD, FACP.

While the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued recommendations against routine PSA-based screening for prostate cancer, E. David Crawford, MD, feels as though this is a step in the wrong direction.

Cooperberg says the likelihood of a patient for staying on active surveillance for 10 or 15 years is around 50%, though men who stay on active surveillance for between 6 months and 5 years generally see progression in their disease.

Oliver Sartor, MD, medical director, Tulane Cancer Center, discusses how radium-223 dichloride became deemed safe in patients with bone-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The treatment was tested in an open-label phase I/II trial where patients were given 6 additional doses of radium-223 on top of their original 6-dose regimen.

Single-dose fosaprepitant dimeglumine (Emend for injection) in combination with antiemetic agents has been approved by the FDA for the preventing

Matthew Cooperberg, MD genitourinary cancer specialist, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), discusses the varying management techniques for both low- and high-risk prostate cancers, including radiation therapy, surgery, hormonal therapy, and active surveillance.

​Daniel Hamstra, MD, PhD, radiation oncologist, Texas Center for Proton Therapy, Texas Oncology, discusses the benefits of shorter radiotherapy treatment sessions for patients with prostate cancer.

Matthew Cooperberg, MD, genitourinary cancer specialist, University of California San Francisco, discusses the appropriateness of a more aggressive approach to men with high-risk prostate cancer. Cooperberg says currently, men will normally respond to surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy, as well as systemic therapy.

​Tomasz M. Beer, MD, FACP, deputy director, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, discusses the potential for genomic tests to result in new treatments.

Retreatment with radium-223 dichloride (Xofigo) after initial therapy and progression was deemed safe in patients with bone-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), according to a recent prospective, open-label phase I/II trial.

A recent paper concluded that docetaxel added to standard of care should be considered the new standard of care for men with hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer.

The FDA has granted olaparib (Lynparza), a first-in-class oral PARP inhibitor, breakthrough therapy designation for patients with BRCA1/2 or ATM-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Treatment initiation for hormone-sensitive metastatic prostate cancer should include the addition of docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as standard of care.

Beer says that while BRCA is normally associated with breast cancer, the gene is found in up to 20% of advanced prostate cancers. He says of this 20% patient population, roughly half inherit the BRCA gene and the other half acquire it.

Kibel cited both the STAMPEDE and CHAARTED trials, which showed the efficacy of docetaxel plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in metastatic prostate cancer.

Hamstra says that shorter regimens of radiotherapy for men whose prostates remained in tact post-surgery proved to be noninferior when compared to longer regimens. He adds that these shorter regimens are more convenient for patients, as well as more cost effective.