Rana McKay, MD, on persistence and adherence to relugolix for prostate cancer

In a recent interview with Urology Times®, Rana R. McKay, MD, FASCO, shares the background and key findings from the study, “Real-world persistence and adherence to relugolix (REL) in US patients with nonmetastatic (nm) vs metastatic (m) prostate cancer (PC).”¹ This study was presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary (ASCO GU) Cancers Symposium in San Francisco, California.

Overall, data from the real-world study showed that adherence to treatment was high among patients who persisted on relugolix.

McKay is a genitourinary medical oncologist at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and a professor of urology and medicine at UCSD School of Medicine.

In total, the study evaluated treatment patterns for 5,274 patients initiating relugolix. Persistence to treatment, defined as the time from treatment initiation to discontinuation, was shorter for patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer (nmPC). Specifically, the median persistence was 7 months among those with nmPC compared with 9 months among those with metastatic prostate cancer (P < .001).

Adherence to treatment was measured using proportion of days covered. The majority of patients in the study demonstrated a PDC of 80% or higher. Among those who were persistent on treatment at 6 months, 95% of patients had a PDC of 80% or higher. Of those persistent at 12 months, 97% had a PDC of 80% or higher.

McKay noted the limitations of the study, namely that the data were collected retrospectively using pharmacy records rather than prospectively using drug diaries, for example.

Overall, the authors concluded, “Further research is needed to understand what other characteristics are associated with persistence on [relugolix].”

REFERENCE

1. McKay RR, Hong A, Razo JF, et al. Real-world persistence and adherence to relugolix (REL) in US patients with nonmetastatic (nm) vs metastatic (m) prostate cancer (PC). Presented at: 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. San Francisco, California. February 13-16, 2025. Abstract 88