Researchers have shown that a new treatment for high-risk prostate cancer offers hope to thousands of patients in prolonging their lives and delaying the disease's return.
The results of a large international study found that adding the drug "aplutamide" to traditional hormone therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence by 29%, and also helped patients remain for longer periods without disease progression.
American researchers announced the results of the third phase of the PROTEUS study, which included more than 2,100 men from 18 countries with an average age of 66, and examined the effectiveness of the drug aplutamide in patients with high-risk prostate cancer before and after surgery.
All participants received hormone therapy for six months before and after prostatectomy, with half receiving the drug aplotamide in addition to standard treatment, while the other half received a placebo.
After five years of follow-up, the results showed a 29% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence among patients who received aplotamide. Their disease-free survival lasted an average of nearly five years, compared to about three years in the other group.
The study also showed that the new treatment reduced the risk of cancer spread by approximately 20%, with limited additional side effects. Urinary tract infections were the most common side effect in both groups, while skin rash was the leading reason for discontinuing the medication.
Aplotamide, marketed under the brand name Erliada, is a relatively new treatment that prevents testosterone from stimulating the growth of prostate cancer cells. It is used in conjunction with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a treatment that aims to lower the levels of male hormones that many prostate tumors rely on to grow and spread.
Oncology experts welcomed the results presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, stressing that they represent an important advance for patients at high risk of disease recurrence after surgery.
Simon Griffinson, assistant director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said the findings give patients with high-risk prostate cancer more time with their families and reduce fears of the disease returning, but stressed at the same time the need to balance the benefits of treatment with its potential risks to avoid overtreatment in some patients.
He added that more studies are needed to identify the groups that could benefit most from this therapeutic approach.
Prostate removal is an effective treatment for many patients, but cancer recurs in about half of those who have had surgery, prompting researchers to look for ways to reduce the likelihood of relapse and improve survival rates.
