The Evolving Treatment Landscape of Prostate Cancer
Daniel J. George, MD, says that clinicians who treat prostate cancer have devoted the past 70 years to hormone therapy and androgen deprivation therapy, particularly for patients with metastatic disease. However, the emergence of agents like docetaxel, abiraterone acetate, and androgen receptor antagonists, like apalutamide and enzalutamide, have changed the landscape.<br />
Daniel J. George, MD, medical oncologist, Duke Cancer Institute, says that clinicians who treat prostate cancer have devoted the past 70 years to hormone therapy and androgen deprivation therapy, particularly for patients with metastatic disease. However, the emergence of agents like docetaxel, abiraterone acetate (Zytiga), and androgen receptor (AR) antagonists, like apalutamide (Erleada) and enzalutamide (Xtandi), have changed the landscape.
Now that clinical studies have shown how all of these agents can benefit patients with prostate cancer, oncologists will have the opportunity to use some agents earlier and combinations with novel agents to increase benefit in the post-AR and post-chemotherapy settings. The number of possibilities is making room for more clinical trials that will help to prolong life in patients with prostate cancer.
The most exciting thing about the evolving landscape is that some of these agents will move on into the curative setting, says George.
