Management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: recent advances

Abstract

Metastatic prostate cancer remains a considerable therapeutic challenge; however, advances in clinical research have resulted in five new treatments in the last 2 years. The immunotherapy sipuleucel-T, the cytotoxic cabazitaxel, the androgen biosynthesis inhibitor abiraterone acetate, the radioisotope alpharadin and the anti-androgen MDV3100 have all been shown to improve overall survival in randomized phase III studies for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The therapeutic strategies of targeting androgen-receptor signalling and other key intracellular pathways involved in tumour progression and treatment resistance are yielding promising results. Agents such as the dual vascular endothelial growth factor receptor/MET inhibitor cabozantinib, the clusterin inhibitor custirsen and the Src inhibitor dasatinib have shown encouraging results in phase II studies. Novel immunotherapeutics such as prostate-specific membrane antigen-directed therapy and the anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated receptor 4 (CTLA4) antibody ipilimumab are also under investigation. Optimal methods of treatment selection, combination and sequencing have yet to be determined.