Undetectable Prostate-specific Antigen Research Articles

Protocol for CHAMPION study: a prospective study of maximal-cytoreductive therapies for patients with de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer who achieve oligopersistent metastases during systemic treatment with apalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy

BackgroundThe proposed trial is to examine the feasibility of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT)-guided cytoreduction plus apalutamide and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for newly diagnosed metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) at oligometastatic state.MethodsCHAMPION (NCT05717582) is an open-label, single-arm, phase II trial, planning to enroll newly diagnosed mHSPC cases with oligometastases (≤ 10 distant metastatic sites in conventional imaging). Patients will receive 6 cycles of apalutamide plus ADT. Patients with oligometastatic disease at PSMA PET/CT after 3 treatment cycles will receive cytoreductive radical prostatectomy. PSMA PET/CT-guided metastasis-directed external radiation therapy will be determined by the investigators. Apalutamide plus ADT will be continued for 2 weeks postoperatively. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients with undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA), no disease progression, and no symptom deterioration after 6 cycles of apalutamide plus ADT. Secondary endpoints include the percentage of patients with PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/mL and oligometastases by the end of 3 treatment cycles, PSA response rate, and safety. Fleming’s two-stage group sequential design will be adopted in the study, where the null hypothesis is that the rate of patients with an undetectable PSA is ≤ 40% after 6 cycles of treatment, while the alternate hypothesis is an undetectable PSA of > 60%; with one-sided α = 0.05, power = 0.80, and an assumed dropout rate of 10%, the required number of patients for an effective analysis is 47. Enrolment in the study commenced in May 2023.DiscussionThe multi-modal therapy based on treatment response may improve the prognosis of newly diagnosed mHSPC patients with oligometastases.Trial registrationThe study is registered with Clinical Trials.Gov (NCT05717582). Registered on 8th February 2023.

The treatment landscape of nonmetastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer: A contemporary perspective

ObjectivesThe incidence of nonmetastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is not well defined in contemporary practice. The aim of this study is to describe the incidence and patterns of treatment of nmCRPC over the last 6 years at a single high-volume Australian health institution. Subjects and methodsAll men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer at Western Health, Melbourne from January 2016 to December 2021 were included in the study. Those diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer and treated with medical or surgical castration for biochemical failure post attempted curative therapy were retrospectively reviewed for signs of castration resistance using prostate specific antigen (PSA) and testosterone biochemical markers up until October 2022. ResultsFrom January 2016 to December 2021, 822 patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer, 590 had localized disease, 373 underwent definitive locoregional therapy, and 31 went on to have biochemical recurrence and were commenced on androgen deprivation therapy. Twenty-five patients had undetectable PSA levels and were classified as having nonmetastatic castrate sensitive prostate cancer (nmCSPC), whilst the remaining 6 patients experienced a rising PSA and were thus classified as nmCRPC. The incidence rate of nmCRPC was 228 cases per 100,000 person-years.The median age at the time of prostate biopsy was 74 years (interquartile range [IQR] 64–79) in the nmCRPC group and 62 years (IQR 57–69) in the nmCSPC group. The median prebiopsy PSA (ng/ml) in the nmCRPC and nmCSPC groups were 27.5 (IQR 19.9–50.4), and 16.5 (IQR 9.0–26.0), respectively. The median duration from prostate cancer diagnosis to onset of nmCRPC was 24 months (IQR 17–29) and the median PSA doubling time was 3.4 months (IQR 2.2–5.7). ConclusionsThus, nmCRPC is an uncommon disease. Further population-based studies are required to better understand the incidence of nmCRPC.

Outcomes of men with high-risk biochemically recurrent prostate cancer who suspended enzalutamide monotherapy treatment in the phase 3 EMBARK study.

15 Background: In the 3-arm EMBARK trial, enzalutamide (enza) + leuprolide acetate (leuprolide) and enza monotherapy (mono) showed statistically superior and clinically meaningful improvements in metastasis-free survival (MFS) vs placebo + leuprolide (alone) in patients (pts) with high-risk biochemically recurrent (BCR) prostate cancer. Based on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, treatment (tx) was suspended at week 37 in 304 (85.9%) pts in the enza mono arm and 240 (67.8%) in the leuprolide-alone arm; pts who did not meet suspension criteria continued tx. Outcomes with enza mono vs leuprolide alone by tx suspension status are presented. Methods: EMBARK is a double-blind phase 3 study of pts with high-risk BCR (i.e., PSA doubling time (PSADT) ≤9 months and PSA ≥2 ng/mL above nadir post-radiotherapy [RT] or ≥1 ng/mL after radical prostatectomy [RP] ± postoperative RT). Pts were randomized (1:1) to enza mono (160 mg/day, open-label) or leuprolide alone (22.5 mg every 12 weeks). PSA <0.2 ng/mL at week 36 triggered tx suspension at week 37; tx restarted when PSA reached ≥2 ng/mL or ≥5 ng/mL for pts with or without primary RP, respectively. The proportion of pts with undetectable PSA 2 years after tx suspension was a secondary endpoint. MFS (by blinded independent central review) was analyzed descriptively in each tx arm by suspension status. P-values were nominal. Results: In the suspension group, the 3-year MFS rate (95% CI) was 88.1% (83.8–91.4%) for enza mono and 90.0% (85.3–93.2%) for leuprolide alone; there was no difference in MFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.840, 95% CI 0.575–1.226; P=0.3659). In the no suspension group, 3-year MFS rates were 88.5% (68.5–96.2%) and 66.9% (55.4–76.1%), respectively; MFS was longer with enza mono vs leuprolide alone (HR 0.340, 95% CI 0.118–0.985; P=0.0378). In the suspension group vs the no suspension group, a greater proportion had received prior RP (enza mono: 78.9 vs 41.9%; leuprolide alone: 78.3 vs 52.2%) or RP and RT (enza mono: 50.7 vs 16.1%; leuprolide alone: 55.0 vs 38.0%), while baseline median PSADT was similar (enza mono: 4.9 vs 5.9 months; leuprolide alone: 5.0 vs 4.8 months). The proportion (95% CI) of pts with undetectable PSA 2 years after tx suspension was 4.6% (2.5–7.6%) for enza mono and 9.6% (6.2–14.0%) for leuprolide alone ( P=0.0326). Conclusions: In pts with high-risk BCR who suspended tx, the tx effect on MFS with enza mono was not different compared with leuprolide alone, though more pts reached tx suspension criteria with enza mono. However, in the no suspension group, enza mono prolonged MFS vs leuprolide alone, though the number of MFS events was limited (n=4). Pts with prior RP were also more likely to reach the PSA threshold for tx suspension. Few pts who suspended tx had undetectable PSA after 2 years, regardless of tx. Clinical trial information: NCT02319837 .

A pictorial view on false positive findings of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and their prognostic value in patients with prostate carcinoma after radical prostatectomy and undetectable PSA values.

Recently, gallium-68-prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (68Ga-PSMA-11) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become a key imaging method in prostate carcinoma staging and biochemical progression, with varying sensitivities in different studies (from 40% to 80%). After four years of experience with 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, we found that it is possible to detect lesions with increased PSMA expression in patients with undetectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels after radical prostatectomy. The key questions we wanted to answer were as follows: if those lesions were malignant and could the early detection of those malignant lesions have a role in patient management? We aimed to identify and follow up PSMA-positive findings for a period of 4 years in patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy and undetectable PSA values at the time of the examination. We also explored false-positive lesions in detail. The study included all patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and had undetectable PSA values <0.05ng/mL and who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT between July 2019 and December 2019. We performed 220 studies and found 40 patients with these characteristics; these patients were included in this study. All of them were followed up until July 2023. Any finding with increased radiopharmaceutical accumulation above the background activity in the respective area was considered a false positive. Prostate-specific membrane antigen accumulation in established lesions was assessed semi-quantitatively by the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and qualitatively by the four-point visual scale proposed in the E-PSMA recommendations. We found 15/40 (37.5%) patients with PSMA-positive findings. These were predominantly bone changes without a corresponding CT abnormality or discrete cystic or osteoblastic lesions with above-background increased PSMA expression. The mean SUVmax of these non-specific lesions was 3.02 (SD 2.86). After 3.5-4 years of follow-up, biochemical progression was found in only two of the patients.The great sensitivity of the method nowadays is a powerful engine for the development of new therapeutic options. On the other side, the lower specificity due to false positive findings, if misinterpreted, might lead to switching to a higher stage, with the planned radical treatment replaced by palliative treatment. The presence of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT-positive findings in patients after radical prostatectomy and an undetectable PSA had a low predictive value for future progression. The interpretation of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT should always include a complex assessment of the clinical setting-the risk group, PSA value and degree of PSMA accumulation in the lesions. In these situations, further clarification of PSMA-positive findings is appropriate before deciding to change treatment.

Promising Therapeutic Activity of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 in Synchronous High-Volume Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer : A Pilot Experience.

177 Lu-PSMA-617 has been shown to improve survival outcomes in patients with end-stage metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, data in earlier lines remain limited. In this study, we intended to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 in patients with synchronous high-volume metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Hormone-sensitive prostate cancer patients with synchronous high-volume metastases (defined as ≥4 skeletal metastases with ≥1 extra-axial site or any visceral metastasis) showing high PSMA expression on 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and ineligible/unwilling for conventional chemohormonal treatment options were selected. Approximately, ~5.55-7.4 GBq of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 was administered intravenously at 8-12 weeks intervals, up to 6 cycles. All patients underwent concomitant androgen deprivation therapy/orchiectomy. The outcome measures included the proportion of patients achieving an undetectable serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (ie, ≤0.2 ng/mL) at any time point after therapy, best PSA response rate, objective radiographic response rate, radiographic progression-free survival, overall survival, and adverse events. Ten patients with high-volume mHSPC received a median cumulative activity of 32.4 GBq (range, 7.4-44.4) of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 over 1-6 cycles. Five patients (50%) achieved an undetectable PSA with 9 patients (90%) showing a ≥50% decline in PSA from baseline. Nine patients underwent radiological follow-up, of which 7 (77.8%) had an objective response. The median radiographic progression-free survival was 24 months (95% confidence interval, 18-30), whereas the median overall survival was not reached. None of the patients had any grade 3/4 adverse event. 177 Lu-PSMA-617 seems to be a promising efficacious and safe treatment option for patients with synchronous high-volume mHSPC.

Low PSA radiographic disease progression on C11-choline PET.

For men with prostate cancer, radiographic progression may occur without a concordant rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of radiographic progression using C-11 choline positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in patients achieving ultra-low PSA values and to evaluate clinical outcomes in this patient population. In a single institution study, we reviewed the prospectively maintained Mayo Clinic C-11 Choline PET metastatic prostate cancer registry to identify patients experiencing radiographic disease progression (rDP) on C-11 choline PET scan while the PSA value was less than 0.5ng/mL. Disease progression was confirmed by tissue biopsy or response to subsequent therapy. Clinicopathologic variables were abstracted by trained research personnel. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Intergroup differences were assessed using the log-rank test. A univariate and multivariate Cox regression model was performed to investigate variables associated with poor survival after rDP. A total of 1323 patients within the registry experienced rDP between 2011 and 2021, including 220 (16.6%) men with rDP occurring at low PSA level. A median (interquartile range [IQR]) of 54.7 (19.7-106.9) months elapsed between the time of prostate cancer diagnosis and low PSA rDP, during which 173 patients (78%) developed castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Sites of low PSA rDP included local recurrence (n = 17, 8%), lymph node (n = 90, 41%), bone (n = 94, 43%) and visceral metastases (n = 19, 9%). Biopsy at the time of rDP demonstrated small-cell or neuroendocrine features in 21% of patients with available tissue. Over a median (IQR) follow-up of 49.4 (21.3-95.1) months from the time of low PSA rDP, 46% (n = 102) of patients died. Factors associated with poorer survival outcomes include advanced age at rDP, CRPC status, bone and visceral metastasis (p value <0.05). Visceral metastases were associated with decreased overall survival (p = 0.009 by log-rank) as compared with other sites of rDP. Men with prostate cancer commonly experience metastatic progression at very low or even undetectable PSA levels. Periodic imaging, even at low absolute PSA values, may result in more timely identification of disease progression.

Comparison of senhance and da vinci robotic radical prostatectomy: short-term outcomes, learning curve, and cost analysis.

The Senhance® Robotic System is a new laparoscopy-based platform that has been increasingly used in radical prostatectomy (RP) procedures. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of Senhance RP (SRP) with da Vinci RP (DRP) cases. From August 2019 to April 2022, we prospectively recruited 63 cases of SRP. We compared the perioperative data, postoperative complication rates, short-term surgical outcomes (3-month postoperative undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and incontinence rates), learning curves, and cost analysis with data from 63 matched da Vinci Xi RP cases. There was no difference in BL (180 versus 180 ml, p = 0.86) and postoperative surgical complication rate (Clavient -Dindo grade I-IV, 25.3 versus 22.2%, p = 0.21) between the SRP cases and the DRP. Regarding the oncologic and continence function, there was no difference between positive margin rate (36.5% versus 41.3%, p = 0.58), rate of undetectable PSA level at postoperative 3 months (68.3 versus 66.7%, p = 0.85), and incontinence rate (14.3 versus 15.9%, p = 1.0) at postoperative 3 months between the two cohorts. The learning curve showed a quick downward slope for laparoscopic experienced surgeons. The median pocket cost for SRP patients in our hospital was $4170, which was lower than $7675 for the DRP patients. Safety and short-term outcomes are comparable between SRP and DRP. For experienced LRP surgeons, using the Senhance system to perform RP is straightforward. With a more affordable price as its biggest advantage, the Senhance system may serve as a safe and effective alternative for robotic RP.

A territory-wide real-world efficacy and toxicity analysis of abiraterone acetate versus docetaxel in 574 Asian patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer

IntroductionAbiraterone acetate (ABI) or docetaxel (DOC), in addition to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), are current treatment options for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). No randomized head-to-head trial has compared these 2 mHSPC treatments, and real-world data regarding their outcomes in Asian patients are lacking. Patients and MethodsThe medical records of mHSPC patients who began upfront ABI or DOC treatment in addition to ADT at seven public oncology centers in Hong Kong between 2015 and 2021 were reviewed. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, and toxicities. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed. ResultsA total of 574 patients were included, of whom 419 received DOC and 155 received ABI. The median follow-up duration was 22.4 (DOC group: 23.8; ABI group: 17.3) months. The ABI group demonstrated significantly better PFS than the DOC group (not reached vs. 15.1 months: hazard ratio = 0.37; 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.50; P < .001). No significant OS difference was observed (P = .58). Failure to achieve a ≥ 90% decline in PSA level at 3 months and failure to achieve an undetectable PSA nadir were each associated with unfavorable PFS and OS. Patients who received DOC had a higher rate of febrile neutropenia, whereas those who received ABI had higher rates of grade ≥ 3 hypokalemia and elevated alanine transaminase. Treatment discontinuation due to toxicities was more common in the DOC (3.6%) than the ABI (0.6%) group. ConclusionIn Asian mHSPC patients, upfront ABI + ADT was associated with better PFS than DOC + ADT, with no significant OS difference. PSA kinetics may help stratify the prognosis for treatment intensification. Toxicity profiles were different, with a higher rate of toxicity-related treatment discontinuation in the DOC group.

Open-label study of darolutamide plus androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) vs ADT in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer using an external control arm (ARASEC).

TPS5112 Background: Darolutamide (DARO) is a structurally distinct and highly potent androgen receptor inhibitor. In the phase 3 ARASENS study (NCT02799602) in patients (pts) with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), DARO + ADT + docetaxel significantly reduced the risk of death by 32.5% vs ADT + docetaxel (hazard ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.57–0.80), with a favorable tolerability and safety profile. In the global (excluding US), phase 3 ARANOTE study (NCT04736199), DARO + ADT vs ADT alone is being evaluated in pts with mHSPC. ARASEC (NCT05059236) will complement ARANOTE by assessing DARO + ADT in US pts. As ADT alone is no longer an acceptable comparator in the US, the external control arm will be derived from the historical US CHAARTED study (NCT00309985). A real-world analysis of electronic health record data from pts with mHSPC (TIMES) indicated that there was minimal risk of historical time bias associated with the use of the external ADT alone arm from CHAARTED as a comparator for ARASEC (Shore N, et al . J Clin Oncol 2022;40(28 Suppl):Abstract 403). Methods: ARASEC is a phase 2, open-label, single-arm study enrolling pts with confirmed mHSPC and no prior systemic therapy. Pts will receive DARO 600 mg orally twice daily + ADT (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist/antagonist or orchiectomy). The external control arm will be derived from 394 pts with mHSPC treated with ADT alone in CHAARTED. To remove biases in evaluating outcomes that could arise due to differences in baseline profiles between arms, pts will be matched 1:1 using a propensity score (PS) summarizing baseline characteristics relevant to disease outcomes. Baseline variables will include age ( &lt; 70 vs ≥70 years), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (0–1 vs 2), CHAARTED-defined extent of disease (low vs high volume + bone metastases only vs high volume + visceral metastases ± bone metastases), and prior therapy (yes vs no; as a proxy for recurrent vs de novo disease). Matching patients with scores within a narrow window across the cohorts will ensure that pts in CHAARTED are representative of pts in the DARO + ADT arm. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS), as defined in CHAARTED. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, radiographic PFS, time to CRPC, undetectable prostate-specific antigen response rate ( &lt; 0.2 ng/mL) at 6 months, and safety. Target enrollment for the DARO + ADT arm is 200 pts at 30 sites. The study will continue until either the event count threshold triggering the primary endpoint analysis has been met (161 PFS events) or all pts have been followed for ≥2 years, whichever occurs later. As of January 2023, 121 pts have been enrolled. A per-protocol, predefined matching exercise on the first 100 pts enrolled will be conducted to ensure that the planned sample size is adequate. Clinical trial information: NCT05059236 .

MP29-01 RAPID, DURABLE, AND DEEP PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN RESPONSE FOLLOWING ADDITION OF DAROLUTAMIDE TO ANDROGEN-DEPRIVATION THERAPY AND DOCETAXEL IN ARASENS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP29-01 RAPID, DURABLE, AND DEEP PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN RESPONSE FOLLOWING ADDITION OF DAROLUTAMIDE TO ANDROGEN-DEPRIVATION THERAPY AND DOCETAXEL IN ARASENS Fred Saad, Bertrand Tombal, Maha Hussain, Karim Fizazi, Cora N. Sternberg, E. David Crawford, Luke T. Nordquist, Ronald Tutrone, Neal D. Shore, Laurence Belkoff, Shivani Kapur, Jay Jhaveri, Jorge Ortiz, Shankar Srinivasan, Frank Verholen, and Matthew R. Smith Fred SaadFred Saad More articles by this author , Bertrand TombalBertrand Tombal More articles by this author , Maha HussainMaha Hussain More articles by this author , Karim FizaziKarim Fizazi More articles by this author , Cora N. SternbergCora N. Sternberg More articles by this author , E. David CrawfordE. David Crawford More articles by this author , Luke T. NordquistLuke T. Nordquist More articles by this author , Ronald TutroneRonald Tutrone More articles by this author , Neal D. ShoreNeal D. Shore More articles by this author , Laurence BelkoffLaurence Belkoff More articles by this author , Shivani KapurShivani Kapur More articles by this author , Jay JhaveriJay Jhaveri More articles by this author , Jorge OrtizJorge Ortiz More articles by this author , Shankar SrinivasanShankar Srinivasan More articles by this author , Frank VerholenFrank Verholen More articles by this author , and Matthew R. SmithMatthew R. Smith More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003257.01AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: In ARASENS (NCT02799602), darolutamide (DARO) in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) and docetaxel significantly reduced the risk of death by 32.5% (HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.57–0.80; P<0.0001) vs ADT + docetaxel in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). We report on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses and kinetics data from ARASENS. METHODS: Patients with mHSPC were randomized 1:1 to DARO 600 mg twice daily or placebo (PBO), both with ADT + docetaxel. Serum PSA was measured at screening and every 12 weeks. Analyses included undetectable PSA (<0.2 ng/mL), ≥50% and ≥90% reductions in PSA from baseline (PSA50, PSA90), and times to PSA progression and PSA50/PSA90. Post hoc landmark analyses evaluated the association between undetectable PSA at weeks 24 and 36 with overall survival (OS) and time to PSA progression. RESULTS: For 1305 patients in the full analysis set (DARO, 651; PBO, 654), median (range) PSA levels at study entry were 30.3 (0.0–9219.0) and 24.2 (0.0–11,947.0) ng/mL, respectively. Patients in the DARO group demonstrated rapid PSA90 response, with 67.6% achieving PSA90 within 12 weeks, 82.0% within 24 weeks, and 84.9% at any time compared with 42.8%, 54.4%, and 59.0% in the PBO group, respectively (Figure). DARO was associated with deep PSA response, with median PSA at nadir of 0.020 ng/mL vs 0.495 ng/mL for PBO. Undetectable PSA was achieved in more than twice the number of patients receiving DARO vs PBO at 24 weeks (48.7% vs 23.9%), continuing to increase at 36 and 52 weeks with DARO (57.1% and 60.2%). Compared with patients who did not achieve undetectable PSA, patients receiving DARO who achieved undetectable PSA at 24 and 36 weeks had improved OS (HR [95% CI] 0.47 [0.35–0.63] and 0.37 [0.28–0.49]) and prolonged time to PSA progression (HR [95% CI] 0.28 [0.18–0.42] and 0.23 [0.15–0.34]), showing durable PSA response that was maintained over time. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with mHSPC receiving DARO + ADT + docetaxel achieved rapid, durable, and deep PSA responses, correlating with improved OS and prolonged time to PSA progression vs PBO + ADT + docetaxel. Source of Funding: This trial was funded by Bayer AG and Orion Corporation. © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e380 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Fred Saad More articles by this author Bertrand Tombal More articles by this author Maha Hussain More articles by this author Karim Fizazi More articles by this author Cora N. Sternberg More articles by this author E. David Crawford More articles by this author Luke T. Nordquist More articles by this author Ronald Tutrone More articles by this author Neal D. Shore More articles by this author Laurence Belkoff More articles by this author Shivani Kapur More articles by this author Jay Jhaveri More articles by this author Jorge Ortiz More articles by this author Shankar Srinivasan More articles by this author Frank Verholen More articles by this author Matthew R. Smith More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Incidental Tc-99m MDP Uptake in Cortical-subcortical Parietotemporal Cerebral Area in a Patient with a History of Recent Ischemic Cerebrovascular Event who Underwent Whole-body Bone Scan.

The authors present Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP) uptake in the right parietotemporal area at whole-body bone scan (WBBS) in 75 years male patient with prostate adenocarcinoma Gleason score 3+4 (pT2N0Mx). No residual or metastatic disease was detected in the patient's Gallium-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography four months before WBBS. The patient had undetectable prostate-specific antigen levels and underwent WBBS to restage prostate cancer due to equivocal findings in previous WBBS. Current WBBS planar views revealed heterogeneous Tc-99m MDP uptake in the right parietotemporal area and the sphenoid bone in addition to equivocal uptake on the lower lumbar vertebrae. Single-photon emission computed tomography study to identify the MDP-avid lesion on the right cranial area revealed heterogeneous Tc-99m MDP uptake in the right parietotemporal area and sphenoid bone. The patient had a history of transsphenoidal surgery for a hypophyseal tumor two years ago and a recent cerebrovascular event (CVE). Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cortical-subcortical patchy area of restricted diffusion in the parietotemporal region compatible with acute ischemia. Heterogeneous Tc-99m MDP uptake in the right parietotemporal area was attributed to recent CVE and secondary vascular-tissue change-related dystrophic calcification.

Blood Prostate-specific Antigen by Volume of Benign, Gleason Pattern 3 and 4 Prostate Tissue

ObjectiveTo evaluate how blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relate to prostate volume of benign tissue, Gleason pattern 3 (GP3) and Gleason pattern 4 (GP4) cancer. MethodsThe cohort included 2209 consecutive men undergoing radical prostatectomy at 2 academic institutions with pT2N0, Grade Group 1-4 prostate cancer and an undetectable postoperative PSA. Volume of benign, GP3, and GP4 were estimated. The primary analysis evaluated the association between PSA and volume of each type of tissue using multivariable linear regression. R2, a measure of explained variation, was calculated using a multivariable model. ResultsEstimated contribution to PSA was 0.04/0.06 ng/mL/cc for benign, 0.08/0.14 ng/mL/cc for GP3, and 0.62/0.80 ng/ml/cc for GP4 for the 2 independent cohorts, respectively. GP4 was associated with 6 to 8-fold more PSA per cc compared to GP3 and 15-fold higher compared to benign tissue. We did not observe a difference between PSA per cc for GP3 vs. benign tissue (P = 0.2). R2 decreased only slightly when removing age (0.006/0.018), volume of benign tissue (0.051/0.054) or GP3 (0.014/0.023) from the model. When GP4 was removed, R2 decreased 0.051/0.310. PSA density (PSA divided by prostate volume) was associated with volume of GP4 but not GP3, after adjustment for benign volume. ConclusionGleason pattern 4 cancer contributes considerably more to PSA and PSA density per unit volume compared to GP3 and benign tissue. Contributions from GP3 and benign are similar. Further research should examine the utility of determining clinical management recommendations by absolute volume of GP4 rather than the ratio of GP3 to GP4.

Association of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) from the phase 3 ARASENS trial.

5078 Background: Reductions in PSA level have been associated with improved OS in patients (pts) with mHSPC. In ARASENS (NCT02799602), darolutamide (DARO) + androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in combination with docetaxel significantly reduced the risk of death by 32.5% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.675; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.568–0.801; P&lt; 0.0001) vs ADT + docetaxel in pts with mHSPC. We report the association between PSA response and OS from ARASENS. Methods: Pts with mHSPC were randomized 1:1 to DARO 600 mg twice daily or matching PBO + ADT and docetaxel. Serum PSA was measured at screening and every 12 weeks. Exploratory analyses included time to PSA progression (≥25% increase from PSA nadir [lowest or at study entry] and PSA increase ≥2 ng/mL ≥12 weeks from nadir [both confirmed by a second value ≥3 weeks later]) and undetectable PSA (&lt; 0.2 ng/mL for 2 samples ≥3 weeks apart) at 24, 36, and 52 weeks and any time during treatment. Comparisons between treatment groups were performed using the Cochran-Mantel Haenszel test stratified by randomization stratification factors (metastatic spread according to TNM classification and alkaline phosphatase levels at study entry). Post hoc landmark analyses evaluated the association between undetectable PSA at weeks 24 and 36 and OS for the overall population. Results: Of 1306 randomized pts, 1305 were included in the full analysis set (DARO 651; PBO 654), both with ADT and docetaxel. Median (range) PSA levels at study entry were 30.3 (0.0–9219.0) and 24.2 (0.0–11,947.0) ng/mL, respectively. DARO significantly prolonged time to PSA progression (HR 0.255; 95% CI 0.208–0.313; P&lt; 0.0001). Undetectable PSA was achieved in more pts receiving DARO (48.7%) vs PBO (23.9%) at 24 weeks, and the rate continued to increase at 36 and 52 weeks in the DARO group to 57.1% and 60.2%, respectively, vs minimal change in the PBO group (25.1% and 26.1%). Undetectable PSA levels at any time were achieved in 67.3% in the DARO group and 28.6% in the PBO group. A treatment difference in undetectable PSA based on non-overlapping 95% CIs was observed at all time points. For the overall population, OS was improved for pts who achieved undetectable PSA levels vs those who did not at 24 weeks (HR 0.398; 95% CI 0.321–0.493) and 36 weeks (HR 0.351; 95% CI 0.284–0.434). Additional baseline and safety data by PSA level will be reported. Conclusions: The combination of DARO + ADT and docetaxel significantly prolonged the time to PSA progression and more pts receiving DARO vs PBO achieved undetectable PSA levels, reflecting strong PSA response over time. In pts with mHSPC, achievement of undetectable PSA at 24 and 36 weeks was associated with improved OS, with risk of death reduced by 60% and 65%, respectively, vs those who did not achieve undetectable PSA at 24 and 36 weeks. Clinical trial information: NCT02799602.

LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY: SINGLE CENTER CASE SERIES.

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) is traditionally characterized as a technically difficult procedure with a long learning curve but it is successfully performed worldwide. The aim of this paper was to assess the initial learning curve and clinical outcomes for LRP in our center. We performed a retrospective study including 63 LRP cases, in the course of 22 months, performed by 2 urologists, with no previous LRP experience. All patients were previously assessed by a multidisciplinary team and were selected on the basis of low and intermediate risk disease attributes according to the classification of prostate cancer risk groups of the European Association of Urology. The main outcomes of follow-up are procedure duration, estimated blood loss, complications, positive surgical margins, biochemical relapse and urinary continence. The median follow-up was 19.6 months. The median procedure duration was 196.8 minutes and median blood loss 257.1 mL. Significant decrease in both outcomes was observed when comparing first and last cases in the series. There were 5 (7.9%) Clavien Dindo grade II complications. Undetectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) was observed in 59 (93.6%) patients, and fifty-five patients (87.3%) were continent. Following a methodical learning approach, LRP can be safely mastered with favorable outcomes.

The Impact of the Percent of Residual Prostate-Specific Antigen on Metastasis-Free Survival in Patients with Persistent Prostate-Specific Antigen after Radical Prostatectomy.

Persistent levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a poor prognostic factor for recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). We investigated the impact of the percentage of residual PSA (%rPSA) [(post-/preoperative PSA)×100], representing a biochemical residual tumor, and the first postoperative PSA (fPSA) level on metastasis-free survival (MFS) in men with persistent levels of PSA after RP. We retrospectively identified male patients within a single tertiary referral hospital database who harbored persistent (≥0.1 ng/mL) vs. undetectable (<0.1 ng/mL) PSA levels 4 to 8 weeks after RP. Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox regression models were used to test the effect of persistent PSA levels, the fPSA level, and %rPSA on MFS. Of 1,205 patients, 178 patients with persistent PSA levels were enrolled. Seven-year MFS rates were 60.5% vs. 84.3% (p<0.001) for patients with a %rPSA ≥6% and <6%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression models of the overall cohort revealed that persistent PSA levels (hazard ratio [HR], 3.94; p=0.010), extracapsular extension (HR, 4.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-16.41; p=0.041), and pathological Gleason grade group (pGGG) (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.32-10.27; p=0.013) were independent predictors of metastasis. Multivariable Cox regression models in men with persistent PSA levels revealed that the %rPSA (HR, 8.92; 95% CI, 1.74-45.71; p=0.009) and pGGG 4-5 (HR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.22-13.96; p=0.022) were independent predictors of distant metastasis, but not the fPSA level after surgery. Persistent levels of PSA were associated with worse MFS after RP. In men with persistent PSA levels after RP, the %rPSA is a valuable predictor of MFS unlike the fPSA level.

Focal therapy for prostate cancer with irreversible electroporation: Oncological and functional results of a single institution study.

PurposeFocal irreversible electroporation (IRE) for prostate cancer aims to reduce quality of life complications, however outcomes data remains limited. We aimed to evaluate histological in-field clearance of prostate cancer at ≥12 months post-IRE.Materials and MethodsRetrospective review of prospectively acquired data of consecutive patients treated between August 2018 and August 2021. Significant recurrence was defined as a ≥6 mm core Gleason 3+3, or ≥Gleason 3+4 with ≥4 mm tumour length. A second definition of any focus of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) ≥2 was also analysed.ResultsThe median follow-up of the entire cohort is 23 months (range 3–39 mo). For 64 primary IRE procedures, surveillance biopsy was performed in 40/50 (80.0%) with ≥12 months follow-up. Significant in-field recurrence occurred in 3/40 (7.5%), or 4/40 (10.0%) with any focus of ISUP >2. Significant out-of-field recurrence occurred in 5/40 (12.5%). In salvage IRE, three patients (3/6, 50.0%) have undetectable prostate-specific antigen levels, two have no residual cancer on biopsy and one patient had out-of-field recurrence. For sexually active men, erectile function was maintained in 24/28 (85.7%) of primary IRE. No incontinence developed in primary IRE (0/64).ConclusionsFocal primary IRE for prostate cancer is associated with 90% infield ablation of any ISUP grade >2 cancer with a low risk of urinary incontinence or impotence. Surveillance prostate biopsies are required to exclude progression despite a normal post-IRE multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Salvage IRE is a promising option for localised recurrence after prostate radiotherapy with low morbidity.

Randomized Phase 2 Trial of Abiraterone Acetate Plus Prednisone, Degarelix, or the Combination in Men with Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy

BackgroundPhase 2 trial endpoints that can be utilized in high-risk biochemical recurrence (BCR) after prostatectomy as a way of more rapidly identifying treatments for phase 3 trials are urgently needed. The efficacy of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) in BCR is unknown. ObjectiveTo compare the rates of complete biochemical responses after testosterone recovery after 8 mo of AAP and degarelix, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, alone or in combination. Design, setting, and participantsPatients with BCR (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] ≥1.0 ng/ml, PSA doubling time ≤9 mo, no metastases on standard imaging, and testosterone ≥150 ng/dl) after prostatectomy (with or without prior radiotherapy) were included in this study. InterventionPatients were randomized to AAP (arm 1), AAP with degarelix (arm 2), or degarelix (arm 3) for 8 mo, and monitored for 18 mo. Outcome measurements and statistical analysisThe primary endpoint was undetectable PSA with testosterone >150 ng/dl at 18 mo. Secondary endpoints were undetectable PSA at 8 mo and time to testosterone recovery. Results and limitationsFor the 122 patients enrolled, no difference was found between treatments for the primary endpoint (arm 1: 5.1% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1–17%], arm 2: 17.1% [95% CI: 7–32%], arm 3: 11.9% [95% CI: 4–26%]; arm 1 vs 2, p = 0.93; arm 2 vs 3, p = 0.36). AAP therapy showed the shortest median time to testosterone recovery (36.0 wk [95% CI: 35.9–36.1]) relative to degarelix (52.9 wk [95% CI: 49.0–56.0], p < 0.001). Rates of undetectable PSA at 8 mo differed between AAP with degarelix and degarelix alone (p = 0.04), but not between AAP alone and degarelix alone (p = 0.12). Limitations of this study include a lack of long-term follow-up. ConclusionsRates of undetectable PSA levels with testosterone recovery were similar between arms, suggesting that increased androgen suppression with AAP and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is unlikely to eradicate recurrent disease compared with ADT alone. Patient summaryWe evaluated the use of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), AAP alone, or ADT alone in men with biochemically recurrent, nonmetastatic prostate cancer. While more men who received the combination had an undetectable prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at 8 mo on treatment, once men came off treatment and testosterone level rose, there was no difference in the rates of undetectable PSA levels. This suggests that the combination is not able to eradicate disease any better than ADT alone.

Benefits of early salvage therapy on oncological outcomes in high-risk prostate cancer with persistent PSA after radical prostatectomy.

Patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) persistence are at the increased risk of disease progression. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of early salvage therapy on oncological outcomes in patients with persistent PSA after radical prostatectomy (RP). Within a single tertiary centre database, we identified men with persistent (≥ 0.1ng/ml) versus undetectable (< 0.1ng/ml) PSA 4-8weeks after RP for high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa). The cumulative incidence function was used to estimate cancer-specific survival (CSS) and clinical progression-free survival (CPFS). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS). The effects on oncological outcomes of salvage radiotherapy (SRT) ± androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) vs. ADT monotherapy were tested in the subgroup of patients with persistent PSA. Of 414 consecutive patients who underwent RP for HRPC, 125 (30.2%) had persistent PSA. Estimated 10-year CPFS, CSS and OS for men with persistent vs. undetectable PSA were 63.8% vs. 93.5%, 78.5% vs. 98.3% and 54% vs. 83.2% (all p < 0.0001), respectively. In men with persistent PSA, ADT alone was associated with higher risk (hazard ratio (HR) for worse CSS (HR 3.9, p = 0.005) and OS (HR 4.7, p < 0.0001) but not for CP (HR 1.6, p = 0.2) when compared with SRT ± ADT. In patients who underwent RP for HRPCa, persistent PSA was associated with poor oncological outcomes. Early SRT ± ADT resulted in significantly improved CSS and OS in men with persistent PSA comparing with early androgen deprivation monotherapy.

A risk grouping algorithm for predicting factors of persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen in patients following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

After radical prostatectomy, prostate-specific antigen(PSA) value measuring ≥0.1ng/mL is defined as persistent PSA(pPSA) and in many studies, it was found to be associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Our aim in this study is to point out the pathological and clinical factors affecting pPSA among the patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP) in an experienced academic centre and to make a useful risk grouping algorithm that can predict pPSA value based on operative data. We examined records of 1273 patients who underwent RARP retrospectively. Preoperative, operative and postoperative data were collected. Based on the PSA values (ng/mL) measured after 4-to-8weeks of RARP, patients were divided into two groups as pPSA group (Group1)(n=97) with PSA values ≥0.1ng/mL and undetectable PSA group (Group2)(n=778) with PSA values <0.1ng/mL. Later on, Group1 was further divided into Group1a (PSA:0.1-0.2ng/mL) and Group 1b (PSA≥0.2ng/mL) to evaluate biochemical recurrence(BCR). Multivariate logistic regression analyses of the collected data revealed that preoperative PSA≥20ng/mL, operation time, a postoperative international society of urological pathology (ISUP) grade of ≥4, pT 3-4 and pN were independently associated with pPSA. Based on these results, a risk grouping algorithm predicting pPSA was developed. By looking at the risk grouping algorithm pPSA was found in 98.9% of the cases with a preoperative PSA value of ≥20ng/mL, an operation time of 150min, a postoperative ISUP grade of 4-5, a positive lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status, pT3-T4, and pN+; while pPSA was found in 25.5% of the cases with a preoperative PSA value of <20ng/mL, an operation time of 100min, a postoperative ISUP grade of <4-5, a negative LVI status, pT<3-4 and pN-. The estimated BCR-free survival time was 16.3months in Group 1a and 57.0months in Group2 (P<.001). Adjuvant treatment ratio was 64.9% in Group1 and 7.1% in Group2 (P<.001). For the patients who underwent RARP, factors associated with aggressive disease can predict the PSA persistence. To plan our treatment modalities accurately, an applicable risk grouping algorithm in daily practice would be useful.

The Significance of Prostate Specific Antigen Persistence in Prostate Cancer Risk Groups on Long-Term Oncological Outcomes.

Simple SummaryThe current prostate cancer guidelines recommend performing the first prostate-specific antigen measurement at three months after radical prostatectomy. However, at an earlier measurement, persistence (≥0.1 ng/mL) of this biomarker could be found in up to 30% of cases, depending on the prostate cancer risk factors. Recent reports have demonstrated an increasing interest in prostate-specific antigen persistence as a possible additional predictor of disease progression and cancer-specific survival. However, the data remain scant, with weak evidence. We assessed the relationship between prostate-specific antigen persistence and long-term oncological outcomes within prostate cancer risk groups. We found that persistence of this biomarker could be used as an independent predictor of worse long-term outcomes in high-risk prostate cancer patients, while in intermediate-risk patients, this parameter significantly predicts only biochemical recurrence and has no impact on the outcomes in low-risk patients.Objective: To assess the significance of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) persistence at the first measurement after radical prostatectomy (RP) on long-term outcomes in different prostate cancer risk groups. Methods: Persistent PSA was defined as ≥0.1 ng/mL at 4–8 weeks after RP. Patients were stratified into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, according to the preoperative PSA, pathological stage, grade group and lymph nodes status. The ten-year cumulative incidence of biochemical recurrence (BCR), metastases, cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and overall mortality (OM) were calculated in patients with undetectable and persistent PSA in different PCa-risk groups. Multivariate regression analyses depicted the significance of PSA persistence on each study endpoint. Results: Of all 1225 men, in 246 (20.1%), PSA persistence was detected. These men had an increased risk of BCR (hazard ratio (HR) 4.2, p < 0.0001), metastases (HR: 2.7, p = 0.002), CRM (HR: 5.5, p = 0.002) and OM (HR: 1.8, p = 0.01) compared to the men with undetectable PSA. The same significance of PSA persistence on each study endpoint was found in the high-risk group (HR: 2.5 to 6.2, p = 0.02 to p < 0.0001). In the intermediate-risk group, PSA persistence was found as a predictor of BCR (HR: 3.9, p < 0.0001), while, in the low-risk group, PSA persistence was not detected as a significant predictor of outcomes after RP. Conclusions: Persistent PSA could be used as an independent predictor of worse long-term outcomes in high-risk PCa patients, while, in intermediate-risk patients, this parameter significantly predicts only biochemical recurrence and has no impact on the outcomes in low-risk PCa patients.