Dr. Hafron discusses the use of oral Relugolix in prostate cancer

In this video, Jason M. Hafron, MD, highlights the background and findings of his study, “Real World Characterization of Patients Receiving Relugolix or Androgen Deprivation Therapy Injections in Combination with Oral Anti-Androgens in 2021 (The REAL ADT ORAL Study): Analysis from a US EMR Database,” which was presented at the 2023 American Urological Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. Hafron is the chief medical officer and director of research at the Michigan Institute of Urology, Solaris Health.

Video Transcript:

Slide 1:

The study was looking at the combination of oral Relugolix with other oral prostate cancer medications. Relugolix was approved in December of 2020, and became commercially available in January 2021. What we wanted to do was to evaluate how Relugolix was being used in combination with other oral prostate cancer medications. So, we used an EMR database called PPS, which is over 150,000 patients that we pared down to about over 50,000 patients that we looked at that met the criteria for the study of patients who were using combination oral Relugolix with other prostate cancer medications. Then we compared that to the typical or historical standard of care, [which] was to [give] patients who receive combination therapy with an injectable. Injectable in this case was Degarelix and Leuprolide.

Slide 2:

This is this whole new category of real world evidence, where we have these very powerful analytic tools, so we can get pretty quick snapshots of what's going on in real time. What we noticed is that even though it's not in the guidelines, it's not in the NCCN guidelines, a lot of urologists are using oral Relugolix in combination with other prostate cancer medications in similar numbers to the injectables. That was pretty eye-opening, that they're being used outside of guidelines. There's been some nice studies done, small studies, to show that it's safe and tolerable. But again, this is that real world evidence that what's going on in real time. Eventually obviously, the guidelines and the appropriate studies will be done to assure it's okay will bear out, but already people are doing it.

The transcription was edited for clarity.