Dr. Steinberg on the Management of Prostate Cancer

Gary D. Steinberg, MD, director, Urologic Oncology, The University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the management of patients with prostate cancer.

Physicians have access to a variety of novel agents in the management of prostate cancer, especially in metastatic prostate cancer, notes Steinberg. In February 2018, the FDA approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) for use in combination with prednisone for patients with metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. The approval was based on the phase III LATITUDE study, showing a 38% reduction in the risk of death with the addition of abiraterone and prednisone to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) compared with ADT alone.

The field is also moving very rapidly towards understanding the genetics of the disease. The use of various modalities is allowing physicians to risk stratify patients more effectively, adds Steinberg. This ensures that patients who do not need treatment will not be treated and those who need treatment will be treated. Additionally, physicians are trying to determine the best test beyond the prostate-specific antigen serum test to identify genetic markers that predict a cancer’s aggressiveness.