PSA Doubling Time Research Articles

Darolutamide and health-related quality of life in patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: An analysis of the phase III ARAMIS trial

BackgroundIn the ARAMIS trial, darolutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) versus placebo plus ADT significantly improved metastasis-free survival (MFS), overall survival (OS) and time to pain progression in patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). Herein, we present analyses of patient-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes. Patients and methodsThis double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trial randomised patients with nmCRPC and prostate-specific antigen doubling time ≤10 months to darolutamide 600 mg (n = 955) twice daily or matched placebo (n = 554) while continuing ADT. The primary end-point was MFS; the secondary end-points included OS and time to pain progression. In this analysis, HRQoL was assessed by the time to deterioration using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate (FACT-P) prostate cancer subscale (PCS) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Prostate Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-PR25) subscales. ResultsDarolutamide significantly prolonged time to deterioration of FACT-P PCS versus placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70–0.91; P = 0.0005) at the primary analysis (cut-off date: 3rd September 2018). Time to deterioration of EORTC QLQ-PR25 outcomes showed statistically significant delays with darolutamide versus placebo for urinary (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.54–0.76; P < 0.0001) and bowel (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66–0.92; P = 0.0027) symptoms. Time to worsening of hormonal treatment–related symptoms was similar between the two groups. ConclusionIn patients with nmCRPC who are generally asymptomatic, darolutamide maintained HRQoL by significantly delaying time to deterioration of prostate cancer–specific quality of life and disease-related symptoms versus placebo.

Fermented Wheat Germ Extract (FWGE) as a Treatment Additive for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a devastating and incurable disease. Combined therapy using conventional anticancer drugs and a proprietary medical nutriment, fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), also known as Avemar, has been suggested as a treatment for progressing prostate cancer (PCa) patients, who have become resistant to first line hormonal therapy (gonadotropin releasing hormone, GnRH). The primary aim of this study was to test if this combined therapy would slow down disease progression in CRPC patients. We tested the nontoxic, readily available, inexpensive FWGE, together with the conventional treatment, GnRH analogue, in 36 CRPC patients. Although this is a pilot study, with the drawback of a statistically small sample size, some anticancer clinical activity of FWGE could be seen in the CRPC patients, as measured by prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT). We found that the intake of GnRH with FWGE for at least 4 months, improved the overall health as well as the quality of life (QOL) in 4 patients (11%) and was instrumental in extending the PSADT in about 17 (out of 26) patients (65.4%), six of whom were significant. Since no mentionable adverse events were noticed, this treatment may permit the postponement of chemotherapy for these patients.

Diagnostic Performance and Clinical Impact of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT Imaging in Early Relapsed Prostate Cancer After Radical Therapy: A Prospective Multicenter Study (IAEA-PSMA Study).

Biochemical recurrence (BCR) is a clinical challenge in prostate cancer (PCa) patients, as recurrence localization guides subsequent therapies. The use of PET with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) provides better accuracy than conventional imaging practice. This prospective, multicenter, international study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance and clinical impact of PSMA PET/CT for evaluating BCR in PCa patients in a worldwide scenario. Methods: Patients were recruited from 17 centers in 15 countries. Inclusion criteria were histopathologically proven prostate adenocarcinoma, previous primary treatment, clinically established BCR, and negative conventional imaging (CT plus bone scintigraphy) and MRI results for patients with PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL. All patients underwent PET/CT scanning with 68Ga-PSMA-11. Images and data were centrally reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the independent predictors of PSMA-positive results. Variables were selected for this regression model on the basis of significant associations in the univariate analysis and previous clinical knowledge: Gleason score, the PSA level at the time of the PET scan, PSA doubling time, and primary treatment strategy. All patients were monitored for a minimum of 6 mo. Results: From a total of 1,004 patients, 77.7% were treated initially with radical prostatectomy and 22.3% were treated with radiotherapy. Overall, 65.1% had positive PSMA PET/CT results. PSMA PET/CT positivity was correlated with the Gleason score, PSA level at the time of the PET scan, PSA doubling time, and radiotherapy as the primary treatment (P < 0.001). Treatment was modified on the basis of PSMA PET/CT results in 56.8% of patients. PSMA PET/CT positivity rates were consistent and not statistically different among countries with different incomes. Conclusion: This multicenter, international, prospective trial of PSMA PET/CT confirmed its capability for detecting local and metastatic recurrence in most PCa patients in the setting of BCR. PSMA PET/CT positivity was correlated with the Gleason score, PSA level at the time of the PET scan, PSA doubling time, and radiotherapy as the primary treatment. PSMA PET/CT results led to changes in therapeutic management in more than half of the cohort. The study demonstrated the reliability and worldwide feasibility of PSMA PET/CT in the workup of PCa patients with BCR.

Development and internal validation of multivariable prediction models for biochemical failure after MRI-guided focal salvage high-dose-rate brachytherapy for radiorecurrent prostate cancer

Background and purposeMagnetic resonance-guided focal salvage high-dose-rate brachytherapy (FS-HDR-BT) for radiorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa) shows low toxicity rates. However, biochemical failure (BF) after treatment occurs frequently. We developed two prediction models for BF (Phoenix definition) with the aim of enhancing patient counselling before FS-HDR-BT and during follow-up. Materials and methodsA prospective cohort of 150 radiorecurrent PCa patients treated with FS-HDR-BT between 2013 and 2020 was used for model development and internal validation. Multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards regression was applied. For model 1, only pre-salvage variables were included as candidate predictors. For model 2, additional (post-)salvage characteristics were tested. After calibration, nomograms and webtools were constructed. Finally, three risk groups were identified. ResultsSixty-one patients (41%) experienced BF. At baseline (model 1), age, gross tumour volume, pre-salvage PSA, and pre-salvage PSA doubling time (PSADT) were predictive of BF. During follow-up (model 2), age, pre-salvage PSA and PSADT, seminal vesicle involvement, post-salvage time to PSA nadir, and percentage PSA reduction were predictive of BF. The adjusted C-statistics were 0.73 (95% CI: 0.66–0.81) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78–0.90), respectively, with acceptable calibration. Estimated 2-year biochemical disease-free survival for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 84%, 70%, and 31% (model 1), and 100%, 71%, and 5% (model 2). ConclusionTwo models are provided for prediction of BF in patients with radiorecurrent PCa treated with FS-HDR-BT. Based on pre- and post-salvage characteristics, we are able to identify patients with a high risk of BF. These findings can aid patient counselling for FS-HDR-BT.

This Month in Adult Urology

This Month in Adult Urology

Current treatment of non-metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer.

Non-metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is defined by increasing serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels despite androgen deprivation therapy in the absence of metastases on standard imaging methods including CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, and bone scan. Patients with nmCRPC and short PSA doubling time (PSAdt) are at high risk of developing early metastatic disease. The objective of this review is to summarize current data on the treatment of nmCRPC. The current data support the efficacy of three novel androgen receptor targeted agents (ARTA), darolutamide, apalutamide and enzalutamide. The design and eligibility criteria of the three key studies with darolutamide, apalutamide and enzalutamide were similar. Patients were required to have aPSAdt.

Real world treatment utilization patterns in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer

Background Studies describing treatment utilization for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are limited. We aimed to describe the treatment utilization of a contemporary population-based CRPC cohort between 2006 and 2016. Methods We identified 1699 men with a PC diagnosis between 2005 and 2015, who developed CRPC between 2006 and 2015 in the Stockholm region of Sweden. Demographic information, stage and grade at PC diagnosis, stage at CRPC, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir, PSA doubling time, treatment utilization rate within 1 year of CRPC diagnosis, reason for stopping therapy, treatment sequence trajectory, overall and PC specific survival was described. Results Treatment for men with de novo metastatic disease (n = 463) was 32%, treatment for men with progressive metastatic disease after PC diagnosis (n = 66) was 44%, treatment for men with nonmetastatic CRPC (n = 113) was 34% and treatment for those with an unknown stage at time of CRPC diagnosis (n = 857) was 12%. Docetaxel was used in 39%, abiraterone acetate plus prednisone in 15%, enzalutamide in 13%, cabazitaxel in 11% and radium-223 in 5% of treatments. Treatment increased from 22% in 2006–2009 for metastatic cancer to 50% in 2013–2015 (p < .001). Factors associated with treatment were an unknown stage at diagnosis (OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.2–0.4), age ≥75 years (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1 − 0.3), PSA doubling time >3 months (OR: 0.4, 95% CI: 0.3 − 0.6) and a diagnosis between 2013 and 2015 (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 2.0 − 5.8). Conclusions Despite treatment availability, in this large real-world cohort we found treatment utilization to remain low.

A bicentric retrospective analysis of clinical utility of 18F-fluciclovine PET in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer following primary radiation therapy: is it helpful in patients with a PSA rise less than the Phoenix criteria?

18F-Fluciclovine PET imaging has been increasingly used in the restaging of prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR); however, its clinical utility in patients with low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels following primary radiation therapy has not been well-studied. This study aims to determine the detection rate and diagnostic accuracy of 18F-fluciclovine PET and the patterns of prostate cancer recurrence in patients with rising PSA after initial radiation therapy, particularly in patients with PSA levels below the accepted Phoenix definition of BCR (PSA nadir +2ng/mL). This retrospective study included patients from two tertiary institutions who underwent 18F-fluciclovine PET scans for elevated PSA level following initial external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and/or proton therapy. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-fluciclovine PET and associations of PSA kinetic parameters with 18F-fluciclovine PET outcome. One hundred patients were included in this study. The overall detection rate on a patient-level was 79% (79/100). 18F-Fluciclovine PET was positive in 62% (23/37) of cases with PSA below the Phoenix criteria. The positive predictive value of 18F-fluciclovine PET was 89% (95% CI: 80-94%). In patients with PSA below the Phoenix criteria, the PSA velocity had the highest predictive value of 18F-fluciclovine PET outcome. PSA doubling time (PSADT) and PSA velocity were associated with the presence of extra-pelvic metastatic disease. 18F-Fluciclovine PET can identify recurrent disease at low PSA level and PSA rise below accepted Phoenix criteria in patients with suspected BCR after primary radiation therapy, particularly in patients with low PSADT or high PSA velocity. In patients with low PSADT or high PSA velocity, there is an increased probability of extra-pelvic metastases. Therefore, these patients are more likely to benefit from PET/CT or PET/MRI than pelvic MRI alone.

Negative impact of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy on detecting biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

BackgroundRoutine use of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) before radical prostatectomy (RP) is not recommended, but it is sometimes performed to reduce the prostate size and tumor volume or to prevent tumor progression during the wait times for surgery in clinical practice. On the other hand, the impact of NHT on the pattern of biochemical recurrence (BCR) is unknown.MethodsWe retrospectively examined 1749 consecutive patients who underwent RP between 1996 and 2017. Among the patients who met the inclusion criteria, BCR developed in 240 of non-NHT patients and in 120 of NHT patients during the mean follow-up period of 6.9 years. We examined the impact of NHT on the PSA-doubling time (DT) following BCR at different times after RP.ResultsThe median PSA-DTs in non-NHT patients who experienced BCR in the first year after surgery, between 1 and 2 years, between 2 and 3 years, between 3 and 4 years, between 4 and 5 years, and at > 5 years were 5.5, 8.8, 11.3, 17.7, 18.2, and 18.4 months, respectively. On the other hand, those in NHT patients were 1.4, 4.1, 9.1, 13.4, 27.2, and 19.3 months, respectively. The differences of PSA-DTs in the first year after surgery (p < 0.001) and between 1 and 2 years (p = 0.005) were significant between non-NHT and NHT patients.ConclusionPatients who received NHT had a higher risk of a rapid PSA increase when they experienced BCR, especially within 2 years after RP. In order to not miss the optimal timing of salvage treatment for BCR, intensive PSA follow-up is necessary.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10147-021-01942-8.

Role of PSA Kinetics in Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer.

To demonstrate the predictive effect of PSA derivatives and time markers that is prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time (PSADT) and PSA velocity (PSAV) on survival in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPCa). Descriptive, analytical study. Department of Urology, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey, between 2012 and 2020. One hundred patients, who were treated with prostate cancer, were subjected. The PSA values were noted, nadir PSA values were detected, times to nadir PSA, HRPCa, and follow-up times were recorded. PSADT and PSAV were calculated. The relationships between the groups were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate overall survival between the groups. The patients were grouped according to the mean PSADT, median PSAV, median nadir PSA, and mean time to HRPCA. The survival of those with high PSADT, low PSAV and low nadir PSA were found to be significantly longer (p=0.006, p<0.001, p<0.001). High PSAV was also associated with significantly increased PSA, nadir PSA and death (p<0.001, p=0.47, and p<0.001, p=0.52, respectively). The survival of those with a longer time to HPRCa was found to be significantly longer (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of survival between patients who received chemotherapy after HRPCa and those who did not (p=0.477). PSAV (p=0.007 HR: 1.004 95% CI: 1.001 - 1.007), bone metastasis at diagnosis (p=0.001 HR: 0.357 95% CI: 0.197 - 0.645) and time to HRPCa development (p=0.001 HR: 0.936 95% CI: 0.900 - 0.974) were significantly effective to the survival. Conclusion:PSADT, PSAV, and nadir PSA serve as independent prognostic markers for survival in patients with HRPCa. These three PSA derived calculation products, with the help of other parameters, could work as prognostic factors, and help clinicians predict survival in men with HRPCa. Key Words: PSA kinetics, Hormone-refractory prostate cancer, Survival, Prognostic factors.

P1183 - The key role of PSA doubling time in patients treated with salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy: Implications for the extent of radiation and the concomitant use of hormonal therapy

P1183 - The key role of PSA doubling time in patients treated with salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy: Implications for the extent of radiation and the concomitant use of hormonal therapy

Post radical prostatectomy prostate-specific antigen doubling-time kinetics: Observations of increasing versus decreasing doubling times.

e17002 Background: Biochemical recurrence (BCR) following radical prostatectomy (RP) is an unreliable predictor of distant metastatic progression or prostate cancer (PC) death, consequently resulting in overtreatment. Further, little has been published about active surveillance (AS) specific management recommendations. Herein, we validate the practicality of using the kinetics (change) of PSA doubling time (PSADT) to direct continued observation versus intervention. Methods: In a retrospective cohort analysis of 406 men with BCR (defined as adjuvant therapy or PSA &gt; 0.2 ng/dl, x2), 284 men were monitored post RP with PSADT graphs for all patients, and the PSADT was characterized as increasing vs decreasing. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess the sensitivity/specificity/positive predictive value/negative predictive value of PSADT progression on treatment and prostate cancer specific mortality at 10 years post-RARP, respectively. Results: The median follow-up was 7.6 (IQR: 4.6-10.6) years. Of 284 men, 109 (38%) and 175 (62%) were in the no treatment versus treatment groups, respectively. 87% of men receiving treatment had a decreasing PSADT and 100% men with PCSM had a decreasing PSADT. ROC analysis showed 0.870 sensitivity and 1.0 specificity when predicting secondary treatment (AUC = 0.935) and 0.857 sensitivity and 0.50 specificity when predicting PCSM (AUC = 0.679). Conclusions: A decreasing PSADT is a sensitive and specific metric for predicting the need for secondary intervention. We also found all men who died of PC had a decreasing PSADT. Lastly an increasing DT predicts a benign course without need for treatment. The current findings suggest that the kinetics of PSADT, increasing versus decreasing, is an accurate metric for the need of treatment. A direct comparison between PSADT kinetics and PSADT is needed.

Bone modifying agents in veterans with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

6582 Background: Skeletal related events (SREs) are a known complication for the 80% of men with metastatic prostate cancer who have bone metastases. Previous studies have demonstrated that bone modifying agents (BMAs) such as zoledronic acid and denosumab reduce SREs in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have bone metastases and are now recommended by national guidelines. We sought to investigate factors associated with use of BMAs in Veterans with CRPC across the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Methods: Using the VA Corporate Data Warehouse, consisting of aggregated medical record data from 130 facilities, we used an algorithm previously published to identify men with a diagnosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) based on rising prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels while on androgen deprivation therapy and who received systemic treatment for CRPC with one of the commonly used therapies: abiraterone, enzalutamide, docetaxel, ketoconazole between 2010 and 2017. To account for clustering among facilities, we used a multilevel multivariable logistic regression to determine the association of patient and disease-specific variables on the odds of a patient receiving a BMA after they started treatment for CRPC. Results: Of 4,998 patients with CRPC in our cohort, 2223 (44%) received either zoledronic acid or denosumab at some point after they were initiated on treatment for CRPC. After adjusting for other variables and accounting for a facility, the odds of receiving a BMA decreased by 3% for every additional year of age (odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-0.98), and decreased significantly with increasing comorbid conditions (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.72-0.98 for Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] of 1; OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59-0.81 for CCI 2+). Patients who were Black had 25% lower odds of receiving a BMA than patients who were White (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65-0.87). PSA at time of CRPC treatment start had a small but not significant effect on receipt of a BMA (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08) for every unit increase of PSA on the log scale. PSA doubling time was not associated with receipt of a BMA. The presence of a diagnosis code for bone metastases was far lower than expected in this cohort of patients with CRPC (40.7%), and thus was not included in the model. We did not expect the presence of bone metastases to vary significantly among the other independent variables. Conclusions: Despite most patients with CRPC historically having bone metastases, less than half of patients with CRPC received a BMA. Patients who are older, had more comorbidities, or were Black were less likely to receive a BMA after starting treatment for CRPC. Understanding factors that lead to different patterns of treatment can guide initiatives toward more guideline-concordant care.

A phase II randomized controlled trial of exercise on biochemical progression in men with prostate cancer on active surveillance.

5080 Background: Men with prostate cancer (PCa) undergoing active surveillance (AS) are at increased risks of cardiovascular death and disease progression. Any intervention that can address these issues during AS would be highly beneficial. Clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise to improve cardiovascular health in cancer patients and suggested the potential role of exercise in suppressing PCa progression in men with PCa undergoing AS. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and biochemical progress of PCa in men with PCa on AS. Methods: The Exercise During Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer (ERASE) Trial was a single-centre, two-armed, randomized controlled trial in Edmonton, Canada. 52 men with localized PCa who were undergoing AS were randomized to high-intensity interval training (HIIT; n = 26) or usual care (UC; n = 26). The HIIT group performed thrice-weekly, supervised, aerobic HIIT on a treadmill at 85-95% of peak cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was VO2peak, and the secondary and exploratory outcomes included biochemical progression of PCa (prostate-specific antigen [PSA]), PSA kinetics, and growth of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. Results: 46/52 participants (88%) completed the postintervention VO2peak assessment and adherence to HIIT was 96%. Compared to UC, HIIT significantly improved VO2peak (adjusted between-group mean difference, 1.6 ml·kg-1·min-1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3 to 2.9; p= 0.014). HIIT also significantly reduced PSA level (adjusted between-group mean difference, -1.1 ug/L; 95% CI, -2.1 to 0.0; p= 0.043) and PSA velocity ( p= 0.040), and suppressed LNCaP cell growth ( p =0.024). No significant differences were found in PSA doubling time ( p= 0.10) and testosterone ( p= 0.24). Conclusions: The ERASE Trial is the first randomized controlled trial to demonstrate the impact of HIIT exercise for improving physical fitness and inhibiting biochemical progression of PCa in men with localized PCa on AS. Our findings suggest that supervised aerobic HIIT may be a promising intervention in this clinical setting. Larger-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine if improvements in physical fitness and PCa-related markers translate into improved long-term clinical outcomes in these men such as disease progression, receipt of radical treatments, posttreatment complications, and survival. Clinical trial information: NCT03203460.

The fluciclovine (FACBC) PET/CT site-directed therapy of oligometastatic prostate cancer (Flu-BLAST-PC) trial.

TPS5099 Background: Patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after local definitive therapy for prostate cancer (PC) represent the largest group of patients alive with PC in the United States. For patients with BCR after both radical prostatectomy and radiation, no further definitive treatment options currently exist as standard of care. FACBC PET/CT is a next-generation imaging modality approved in 2016 for suspected PC recurrence based on elevated PSA levels following prior treatment. FACBC PET/CT allows for earlier detection at lower PSA levels of oligometastatic PC in patients who would otherwise be considered as having micro-metastatic disease. FACBC PET/CT may provide potential targets for site-directed therapy; however, it is unknown whether this approach leads to improvement in clinically relevant outcomes. Methods: Flu-BLAST-PC (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0417543) is a prospective, interventional study enrolling men with PC and BCR who have previously undergone both radical prostatectomy and adjuvant or salvage radiation to the prostatic fossa, with PSA ≥0.5 to &lt; 10 ng/mL, PSA doubling time &gt; 3 to &lt; 18 months, and no radiographically detectable metastases by conventional CT and bone scan imaging. Enrolled patients undergo FACBC PET/CT imaging, and those with no PC metastases detected (Group 1) undergo observation with repeat FACBC PET/CT performed at PSA thresholds of &gt; 2 and &gt; 5 ng/mL, with eligibility for the trial ending at PSA ≥10 ng/mL if FACBC PET/CT remains negative. Those with 1-3 PC regions (defined as radiation fields) detected on FACBC PET/CT (Group 2) undergo site-directed therapy with surgery (e.g. lymphadenectomy) and/or radiation, as well as six months of systemic treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and abiraterone acetate with prednisone. Patients with ≥4 PC regions detected on FACBC PET/CT (Group 3) undergo six months of ADT and abiraterone acetate with prednisone without any site-directed therapy. Patients initially in Group 1 who subsequently have PC metastases detected on repeat FACBC PET/CT imaging per protocol join Group 2 or Group 3 based on the number of PC regions involved. Given the long anticipated survival of patients with PC and BCR, the primary endpoint of the study is undetectable PSA ( &lt; 0.2 ng/mL) rate in Group 2 at two years beyond study treatment, with secondary endpoints including the same outcome measure for Group 3, undetectable PSA rate two years after testosterone recovery from ADT in Groups 2 and 3, time to re-initiation of ADT, overall survival, and safety and tolerability. Assuming a null hypothesis of 15% undetectable PSA rate for patients with BCR two years after completing ADT and alternative hypothesis of improvement to 40% in Group 2, planned enrollment is 65 patients in Group 2. This will provide 90% power at the two-sided significance level of 0.05. Five patients have enrolled to date. Clinical trial information: NCT0417543.

PTEN loss as a potential biomarker in patients with castration resistant prostate cancer M0.

e17043 Background: Until 2018, there were no approved agents for high risk non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). Recently, three second-generation anti-androgens (apalutamide, enzalutamide and darolutamide), in combination with ADT, have demonstrated a significant benefit in metastasis-free survival (MFS) and overall survival.According to conventional imaging, nmCRPC state is the opposite to mCRPC. Nevertheless, CRPC is a continuous in which nmCRPC may share similar biology and biomarkers such as PTEN loss, which has proven to be a useful and targetable biomarker in mCRPC. Methods: We performed a prospective and multicenter analysis of 77 patients (pts) with nmCRPC. We collected blood samples as well as prostate cancer diagnostic biopsy whenever they were available. The aim of this study is to find potential biomarkers that could identify pts at a higher risk of metastasis development. Here we report preliminary results according to PTEN status. Results: We have analyzed 32 patients for PTEN loss. We report preliminary results using an IHC assay based on the IPATENTIAL150 PTEN score. Median age was 66 years and 50% of patients had a Gleason score &gt; 8 irrespectively of PTEN status. We identified 24 patients (75%) with PTEN loss with a median PSA at diagnosis of 13,1 ng/ml, and a PSA doubling time (PSA-DT) of 6,3 months vs. 37,35 ng/ml and 3,5 months respectively in the PTEN non-loss pts. In the PTEN loss population, 9 pts (37,5%) did not receive any local treatment vs. 2 pts in the PTEN non-loss (25%). Mediantime from diagnosis to CRPC was 11.5 vs 8.0 yrs in PTEN loss vs. non-loss pts. In the PTEN loss population 2 patients received apalutamide plus ADT and 2 darolutamide plus ADT, these patients were excluded for the MFS analysis. Median MFS was 37 months in the PTEN loss population vs. 23 months in the PTEN non-loss. However, with a median follow-up of 38 months, 54% of PTEN loss pts had developed metastasis and 50% of PTEN non-loss pts. Skeleton was by far the first site of metastasis in PTEN non-loss pts (75%), while PTEN loss pts developed metastasis in lymph nodes (38,5%) nearly as much as in the skeleton (46%). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first data of PTEN loss as a biomarker in nmCRPC. In our study, PTEN loss in primary tumor is more frequent than previously documented for mCRPC. PTEN loss appears to provide a better prognosis and higher lymph node involvement. Further analysis will be performed to corroborate these results and identify other factors involved.

Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial of Androgen Deprivation Therapy with or Without Docetaxel in High-risk Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Surgery (TAX3503)

BackgroundNo standard of care exists for patients with high-risk biochemical recurrence (BCR) after prostatectomy. ObjectiveTo evaluate whether addition of docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improved progression-free survival (PFS) in high-risk BCR patients. Design, setting, and participantsTAX3503 was a multicenter phase 3 trial that randomized patients with high-risk BCR to ADT for 18 mo ± docetaxel (75 mg/m2 q3w for ten cycles). Eligibility included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥1.0 ng/ml after prostatectomy alone or after postoperative radiation therapy, PSA doubling time ≤9 mo, and absence of metastases on computed tomography and bone scintigraphy. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisThe primary endpoint was PFS following testosterone recovery to noncastrate levels (testosterone >50 ng/dl). Secondary endpoints included time to testosterone recovery, overall survival (OS), quality of life, and safety. Results and limitationsBetween September 2007 and May 2011, 413 patients were assigned to ADT ± docetaxel. In 2012, following completion of accrual and treatment, the sponsor withdrew support of the study, and in 2013, a registry was created to secure the primary endpoint. The final analysis included data from the original trial and registry. At a median follow-up of 33.6 mo, 260 patients demonstrated testosterone recovery, which occurred similarly between groups. ADT plus docetaxel trended toward a nonclinically meaningful improvement in PFS (median 26.2 vs 24.7 mo) for the testosterone-recovered population (218 events, hazard ratio [HR] 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61–1.04) and in OS for the intention-to-treat population (medians not reached, HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.23–1.10). Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred more frequently in the ADT plus docetaxel group (48.0% vs 10.8%). ConclusionsTAX3503 did not demonstrate a meaningful benefit of adding docetaxel to ADT in patients with high-risk BCR. Testosterone recovery was unaffected by addition of docetaxel to ADT. Patient summaryAddition of docetaxel to androgen deprivation therapy did not meaningfully improve outcomes for men with high-risk biochemically recurrent prostate cancer.

Physical activity decreases the risk of cancer reclassification in patients on active surveillance: a multicenter retrospective study.

Physical activity (PA) is associated with favorable outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. We assessed its effect on the risk of PCa reclassification (PCaR) during active surveillance. Anthropometric, demographic, and clinical data concerning men diagnosed with a low-risk PCa and initially managed with active surveillance at the two participating institutions were retrospectively collected. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) was used for patients' self-assessment of their daily exercise and their consequent stratification into three groups: sedentary (PASE ≤ 65), moderately active (65 < PASE < 125), active (PASE ≥ 125). Kaplan-Meier model was used to evaluate the predictive role of PA on PCaR, computed at 2, 5, 10 years after diagnosis; differences between lifestyle groups were assessed using the log-rank and uni-/multivariable Cox analyses applied to identify predictors of reclassification. Eighty-five patients were included in the analysis, with a median age of 66 years (IQR: 59-70); 16% were active, 45% were former smokers, and 3 presented with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density was 0.12 (IQR: 0.07-0.15); 34 men showed a PSA doubling time <10 years. The Median PASE score was 86 (IQR: 61.5-115.8): 24 patients were sedentary, 46 moderately active, and 15 active. At a median follow-up of 37 months (IQR: 14-53), 25% of patients experienced PCaR. These were less physically active (PASE score 69.3 vs 87.8; p = 0.056) and presented with significantly smaller prostates (46 ml vs 50.7 ml; p = 0.001) and a higher PSAD (0.14 vs 0.10; p = 0.019). At 2 years, the risk of reclassification was 25 ± 5%, while it was 38 ± 7% at both 5 and 10 years. The risk was significantly different in the three PA groups (Log Rank p = 0.033). PASE score was the only independent predictor of PCaR (HR: 0.987; 95%CI: 0.977-0.998; p = 0.016). PA influences PCa evolution, as increasing levels are associated with a significantly reduced risk of tumor reclassification among patients undergoing active surveillance.

Association of Increased Prostate-Specific Antigen Levels After Treatment and Mortality in Men With Locally Advanced vs Localized Prostate Cancer

Increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after treatment (PSA failure) may have different associations with outcomes for men with locally advanced vs localized prostate cancer. To evaluate whether the association between PSA failure and death may be different in locally advanced vs localized prostate cancer. This multicenter cohort study included patients from 2 randomized clinical trials. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) 95-096 trial randomized 206 men with localized prostate cancer from December 1, 1995, to April 15, 2001, whereas the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 22961 trial randomized 970 men with locally advanced prostate cancer from October 30, 1997, to May 1, 2002. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2020, to October 31, 2020. The DFCI 95-096 trial randomized men to 0 vs 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with external beam radiotherapy; the EORTC 22961 trial randomized men to 6 vs 36 months of ADT with external beam radiotherapy. For each trial, the PSA doubling time (time to doubling of PSA levels) associated with PSA failure was evaluated. The risk of all-cause mortality associated with PSA failure (nadir plus 2 definition) was evaluated after adjustment of baseline covariates and treatment. This analysis included a total of 1173 men (206 from DFCI 95-096 and 967 with available tumor stage from EORTC 22961; median age, 70.0 [interquartile range (IQR), 65.0-74.0 years). For DFCI 95-096, 161 men died (30 [18.6%] due to prostate cancer) at a median follow-up of 18.2 (IQR, 17.3-18.8) years. Among the 108 men with PSA failure, the median PSA doubling time was 13.0 (IQR, 7.4-31.1) months. For EORTC 22961, 230 men died (75 [32.6%] due to prostate cancer) at a median follow-up of 6.4 (IQR, 6.3-6.6) years. Among 290 men who experienced PSA failure, the median PSA doubling time was 5.0 (IQR, 2.9-8.9) months. Compared with DFCI 95-096, PSA failure was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in EORTC 22961 (adjusted hazard ratios, 3.98 [95% CI, 2.92-5.44]; P < .001 vs 1.51 [95% CI, 1.03-2.23]; P = .04). The association of PSA failure with outcomes may differ between locally advanced and localized prostate cancer. This finding supports the study of treatment intensification with the use of novel antiandrogen agents in addition to ADT at the time of PSA failure after treatment for locally advanced disease. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT00116220 and NCT00003026.

Efficacy and Safety of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 Augmented [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 Radioligand Therapy in Patients with Highly Advanced mCRPC with Poor Prognosis.

The use of 225Ac in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radioligand therapy (RLT), either as monotherapy or in combination with 177Lu, is a promising therapy approach in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma (mCRPC). In this study, we report the efficacy and safety of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 augmented [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 RLT in 177Lu-naive mCRPC patients (n = 15) with poor prognosis (presence of visceral metastases, high total tumor burden with diffuse bone metastases or a short PSA doubling time of <2 months). Biochemical (by PSA serum value) and molecular imaging response (by [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT) was assessed after two cycles of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 RLT, with at least one [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 augmentation. In addition, PSA-based progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity (according to CTCAE) were analyzed. We observed a biochemical- and molecular imaging-based partial remission in 53.3% (8/15) and 66.7% (10/15) of patients, respectively. The median PSA-PFS and OS was 9.1 and 14.8 months, respectively. No serious acute adverse events were recorded. Two out of fifteen patients experienced grade 3 anemia. No other grade 3/4 toxicities were observed. RLT-related xerostomia (grade 1/2) was recorded in 2/15 patients. Our data showed a high clinical efficacy with a favorable side effects profile of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 augmented [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 RLT in this highly challenging patient cohort.