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The evolving landscape of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: a critical review of the evidence for adding docetaxel or abiraterone to androgen deprivation

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 21, pages 306–318 (2018)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background

Until 2015, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone was the standard-of-care for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). In 2015, the CHAARTED and STAMPEDE-Docetaxel studies demonstrated marked survival benefit with the addition of docetaxel to ADT in the mHSPC setting, leading to a change in the standard-of-care for mHSPC. The recent LATITUDE and STAMPEDE-Abiraterone trials showed similar substantial improvement in survival with the addition of abiraterone plus prednisone to ADT in this space.

Methods

We conducted a review of the randomized phase III studies that have investigated either the addition of docetaxel or abiraterone to ADT in patients with mHSPC.

Results

We describe the study designs, key eligibility criteria, and key results for the CHAARTED, STAMPEDE-Docetaxel, GETUG-AFU 15, LATITUDE, and STAMPEDE-Abiraterone clinical trials. We compare the data for abiraterone/prednisone plus ADT in mHSPC with the evidence for docetaxel plus ADT in these patients. Finally, we discuss several factors that should be considered when choosing between docetaxel/ADT or abiraterone/prednisone/ADT in mHSPC.

Conclusions

The management of mHSPC is evolving. Abiraterone plus prednisone in addition to ADT has emerged as an alternative standard-of-care to docetaxel plus ADT, and ongoing trials should clarify whether combination vs. sequential approaches with AR-targeting agents and taxane chemotherapy are preferred for initial management in the hormone-sensitive setting.

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Funding

MM: Research funding to institution from Bayer, Janssen, Agensys, Seattle Genetics, Clovis, Astrazeneca. AJA: Research funding to institution from Bayer, Janssen, Medivation/Astellas/Pfizer, Dendreon, Sanofi Aventis, Gilead, Genentech/Roche, Novartis. Consulting with Janssen, Medivation/Pfizer/Astellas. Speaker for Bayer, Dendreon, Sanofi Aventis. CS: Research funding to institution from Astellas, Janssen, Sotio, Sanofi. Paid consultant to Astellas, Bayer, Genentech, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi. ESA: Paid consultant/advisor to Janssen, Astellas, Sanofi, Dendreon, Medivation, and ESSA. Research funding to institution from Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, Dendreon, Genentech, Novartis, and Tokai. Co-inventor of a biomarker technology that has been licensed to Tokai and Qiagen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University Medical Center and Cancer Institute, Duke Prostate and Urologic Cancer Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Megan McNamara & Andrew J. Armstrong

  2. Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Christopher Sweeney

  3. Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, 212873, USA

    Emmanuel S. Antonarakis

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  1. Megan McNamara
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  2. Christopher Sweeney
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Correspondence to Megan McNamara.

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McNamara, M., Sweeney, C., Antonarakis, E.S. et al. The evolving landscape of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: a critical review of the evidence for adding docetaxel or abiraterone to androgen deprivation. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 21, 306–318 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-017-0014-9

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