Dr. McDermott on Rationale for Darolutamide Plus ADT/Radiation in High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Ray McDermott, MB, BCh, BAO, PhD, MBA, FRCPI, a clinical professor in Medical Oncology at the University College Dublin, discusses the rationale for the addition of darolutamide (Nubeqa) to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and definitive or salvage radiation in very high-risk prostate cancer.

Two patient populations are under examination in the phase 3 DASL-HiCaP study, says McDermott. The first patient population include those who are receiving definitive treatment with radiation and ADT for very high-risk prostate cancer. The second patient population is comprised of those who have already undergone a radical proctectomy and who have a prostate-specific antigen that isn't 0, adds McDermott; these patients are eligible for salvage radiotherapy with hormones. In both of those cases it is known that with the current standard of care, despite everything that is done for these patients, a significant proportion will develop metastatic disease over the next 5 years, according to McDermott.

The rationale for the DASL-HiCaP study is to look at the addition of darolutamide, which is a novel androgen receptor blocker, to see whether the incidence of metastases developing over time can be reduced in patients with very high-risk prostate cancer, concludes McDermott.