A New Targeted Therapy Shows Promise for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer

Men with prostate cancer that has already spread at the time of diagnosis (metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, or mHSPC) usually receive hormone therapy combined with chemotherapy (docetaxel). Even with this treatment, some cancer remains in many patients, and researchers are looking for ways to improve outcomes.

A new clinical trial tested a targeted treatment called 177Lu-PSMA-617 as “consolidation therapy.” This drug attaches to a protein found on prostate cancer cells (PSMA) and delivers radiation directly to them, while sparing most healthy tissue. It has already been shown to help men with later-stage prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy.

In this study, 30 men with high-volume mHSPC who had finished chemotherapy but still had signs of cancer were randomly assigned to receive either standard care alone or standard care plus 177Lu-PSMA-617.

The results were encouraging:

60% of men given 177Lu-PSMA-617 reached very low PSA levels compared to only 13% in the standard care group.

Scans showed cancer shrinkage in 53% of patients treated with 177Lu-PSMA-617 versus just 7% in the control group.

The treatment delayed cancer progression, with patients in the 177Lu-PSMA-617 group staying cancer-free for about 18 months, compared to 9 months in the control group.

Importantly, no severe side effects were reported.

The trial was small and ended early due to the pandemic and changes in treatment guidelines, but the results suggest that 177Lu-PSMA-617 could become a valuable option for men with aggressive prostate cancer. Larger studies are now needed to confirm these findings.