Dr. Yu on Combination Therapy for Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Evan Y. Yu, MD, professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discusses combination therapy for patients with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer.

In terms of combination therapy for this patient population, the data with abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) and docetaxel are just the beginning, says Yu. There are several trials that are scheduled to read out soon. Neeraj Agarwal, MD, of Huntsman Cancer Institute, is leading the phase III SWOG S1216 trial that is looking at the use of TAK-700, which is a similar agent to abiraterone. That trial is likely to read out very soon. Results from the phase III ENZAMET trial, led by Christopher Sweeney, MBBS, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is likely to be presented soon as well. ENZAMET is evaluating the addition of enzalutamide (Xtandi) to a LHRH analog as first-line androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT).

In addition, there are trials examining apalutamide (Erleada) or darolutamide (ODM-201) early with chemotherapy. In the future, physicians may see a combination of standard ADT, a potent androgen receptor (AR)-targeted agent—such as abiraterone—or an enzalutamide/apalutamide AR blocker, and a taxane chemotherapy, says Yu.