Investigational prostate Ca agent significantly increases survival

The investigational agent radium-223 dichloride significantly increased overall survival in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastases, updated results of a recent phase III trial showed.

In the updated findings from the phase III ALSYMPCA (ALpharadin in SYMptomatic Prostate CAncer) trial, radium-223 significantly increased overall survival (HR=0.695, p=.00007). The median overall survival benefit in patients given radium-223 increased from 2.8 months at the time of the pre-planned interim analysis in June 2011 to 3.6 months in this updated analysis (14.9 months in the radium-223 group plus best standard of care vs. 11.3 months with placebo plus best standard of care).

“Bone metastases are one of the main causes of morbidity and death in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, yet until now there has been little progress made towards developing therapies that treat the cancer when it has spread to the bone,” said principal investigator Chris Parker, MD, of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

In addition to improving overall survival, radium-223 led to a statistically significant delay in the time to first skeletal-related event in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer with bone metastases.

The overall safety and tolerability profile for radium-223 was consistent with previous study results. The most common hematologic adverse events included anemia (31% vs. 31%), neutropenia (5% vs. 1%), and thrombocytopenia (12% vs. 6%) for patients receiving radium-223 compared with placebo.

The results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.

Dr. Parker is a consultant/adviser for Algeta and receives honoraria from Bayer HealthCare.

Go back to this issue of Urology Times eNews.

Related Content

Surgeon experience, nerve-sparing skill help ensure post-RP function

Adding target therapy to hormone therapy may eliminate prostate tumors pre-surgery