Zytiga-Containing Regimen Boosts Survival in Certain Patients With Prostate Cancer

The drug combination of consisting of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), docetaxel and Zytiga (abiraterone) plus prednisone improved outcomes for patients with de novo metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer, according to findings from the phase 3 PEACE-1 clinical trial.

Patients enrolled in the trial were randomly assigned to receive one of the following treatment options:

• ADT alone
• ADT with docetaxel
• Standard of care plus radiotherapy
• Standard of care plus Zytiga and prednisone
• Standard of care plus radiotherapy and Zytiga

Overall, patients receiving Zytiga-containing regimens tended to have longer radiographic progression-free survival (time from treatment until scans show that the disease became worse, or death), compared to those who did not receive Zytiga (4.46 years compared to 2.22 years in the Zytiga-containing and Zytiga-free groups, respectively).

Zytiga regimens also improved overall survival (time from treatment until death by any cause), with average overall survival being 5.72 years in the Zytiga groups, compared to 4.72 years in the non-Zytiga groups.

In patients who received Zytiga plus ADT and docetaxel, the average radiographic progression-free survival was 4.46 years, and at the time of follow-up the average overall survival was not yet reached, considering the amount of patients who were still alive. This was improved compared to the patients who did not receive Zytiga, with 2.03 and 4.43 years average radiographic progression-free survival and overall survival rates, respectively.

While the addition of Zytiga to the prostate cancer regimens tended to improve survival, the drug also increased the rates of side effects for patients namely neutropenia (a decrease in a type of white blood cells called neutrophils), fatigue and neuropathy. In the group of patients who received ADT plus docetaxel and Zytiga, 63% of patients experienced severe (grade 3 or higher) side effects, compared to 52% of patients who did not receive Zytiga.

Of note, the authors of the study said that ADT, docetaxel, Zytiga and prednisone should become a standard of care for this patient population.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.