A combination of drugs could “transform” the treatment of aggressive prostate cancer after studies showed it reduced the risk of recurrence by 60 percent more than standard treatments.
Patients with an aggressive form of the disease who received enzalutamide in addition to standard hormone treatment reduced their risk of death by 58 percent.
Experts said the results for men could “change practice” by improving both survival rates and quality of life.
About a third of men who undergo surgery or radiation for prostate cancer experience an often aggressive recurrence of the prostate cancer.
They are usually treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or hormone therapy, which reduces the production of the male sex hormone testosterone.
Enzalutamide (pronounced en-zal-loo-tah-my-de), also known by the brand name Xtandi (pronounced ex-tan-dee), may increase survival rates, experts say
Testosterone supports the growth and spread of prostate cancer cells and hormone therapy effectively reduces the growth stimulating effects.
However, ADT does not completely eliminate testosterone, which means that the cancer can continue to grow and also cause side effects such as erectile problems and loss of libido.
In this study of 1,068 prostate cancer patients from 17 countries, researchers wanted to test whether enzalutamide could improve survival by slowing its spread.
A third of the men only received enzalutamide, which stops testosterone from stimulating the growth of cancer cells.
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Another group received the daily tablet in addition to ADT and the remaining men received ADT alone, which is the current standard treatment.
Research showed that men treated with enzalutamide alone were 37 percent less likely to die after five years than men treated with ADT alone.
However, according to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this increased to 58 percent when enzalutamide was combined with ADT.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, LA said: “In the study, both new options improved metastasis-free survival while maintaining quality of life.”
“If these treatments are approved … our results will change practice.”
Prostate cancer is most common in men. In the UK, 52,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year.
The Mail has been campaigning for decades to improve prognosis and treatment options to bring the disease on par with breast cancer.
Pfizer’s drug has previously been used to treat other forms of prostate cancer, but there was no effective treatment for this particularly aggressive form.
Amy Rylance, head of care improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This research is exciting because it shows that adding enzalutamide to standard treatment for these men more than halves the risk of their disease spreading or dying.”
“For men with aggressive prostate cancer, time is of the essence, so we hope that men in the UK will have access to this new treatment combination as soon as possible.”
Oliver Kemp, CEO of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “Far too many men suffer from recurrent prostate cancer and existing treatments can have serious side effects.”
“That’s why the results of this study are really encouraging and could open up new options for patients.”
“Improving available treatments is crucial, but so is early diagnosis. That’s why we encourage men who are concerned to talk to their doctor and get checked.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
