What Is The Newest Treatment For Prostate Cancer

Research Into High Intensity Focused Ultrasound

HIFU uses high frequency sound waves to destroy cancer cells. The waves create heat that destroys prostate cancer.

Researchers are looking at only treating the areas of cancer in the prostate. They want to find out how well it works and how it affects mens quality of life.

• Find out more about what is HIFU

Urology Times: Could You Describe Some Of The Biggest Unmet Needs In Prostate Cancer In Your Opinion

Dr. Ross: There have been a lot of advances in prostate cancer, particularly over the past decade or so. Most of the unmet needs, at least in the near term, are going to be about implementing new technologies. If you think about screening, we’ve had a lot of new tools that have come to bear for prostate cancer screening, in diagnosis of clinically significant disease, different biomarkers that can tell people their risk, use of imagingMRI should be standard before biopsieseven the techniques we use for biopsyperhaps transperineal approaches that reduce infection or the need for antibiotics. If we look at use of those across the country, they’re not anywhere near 100%. Certainly, there are some health inequities as well that do stratify by socioeconomics, by race, and by location of the individual and the practitioner.

What Is The Treatment For Prostate Cancer

If you test positive for cancer, then there are many different methods of treatment available.

Your GP and allotted cancer support team will talk through the best options for you.

This may include radiotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound , cryotherapy, hormone treatment, or surgically removing the prostate.

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However, you might not need treatment at all.

If the cancer is at an early stage and not causing symptoms, your doctor may suggest either watchful waiting or active surveillance.

This would depend on many factors including your age and overall health.

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What Treatments Are Used In Focal Therapy For Localized Prostate Cancer

Focal therapy uses ablation, which is the use of extreme temperatures to destroy tissue. In focal ablation, the area of the prostate that contains the index lesion is targeted, rather than treating the entire prostate gland. Focal ablation techniques include:

• Cryotherapy: The use of very cold gases passed through needles to freeze and destroy cancer tissue.
• HIFU : The use of high-frequency sound waves directed at the tumor through an ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum. The high intensity waves cause the diseased tissue to heat up and die.
• : A drug called a photosensitizer is injected into the bloodstream. This drug then absorbs light rays directed at the tumor, and produces an active form of oxygen that destroys cancer cells.
• Laser ablation: The use of laser radiation energy pinpointed to a very small area to burn away cancerous tissue. Some laser ablation has the advantage of being able to be performed at the same time as magnetic resonance imaging , allowing very specific targeting and also real-time views of results.

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New Treatment For Metastatic Hormone

A new drug, administered in combination with standard androgen-deprivation therapy and docetaxel chemotherapy, increased survival in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, according to a trial in The New England Journal of Medicine .

This represents a new strategy for managing metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer , according to Maha Hussain, MD, the Genevieve E. Teuton Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, a co-author of the study and study steering committee member.

This is a combination therapy in the first-line for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, said Hussain, who is also deputy director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

This trial was presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, held in San Francisco, Calif., and simultaneously published in NEJM.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the United States. Androgen deprivation therapy , which reduces levels of androgen hormones upon which prostate cancer relies, has been the mainstay of care for more than 60 years.

Darolutamide essentially closes the window in the cell, preventing any circulating testosterone from entering the cell, Hussain said.

This study was supported by Bayer and Orion Pharma.

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Prostate Cancer Laser Treatment: What You Need To Know

Via Flickr/CC BY 2.0

When a space-age cure for cancer thats truly transformative and a huge leap forward hits the headlines, its going to catch peoples eyes.

And that was the case for one study published yesterday in the journal Lancet Oncology that received widespread media attention. The results came from a clinical trial testing an experimental laser treatment on men with prostate cancer. And the findings were positive: the therapy is safe to use in these patients.

Thats good news.

But what do the results really mean for men with prostate cancer? We spoke to an expert on prostate cancer, Professor Malcolm Mason, to find out.

The great thing is that this study showed the treatment is safe to give to patients, he says.

So this is a good study that we can now expand on with further research. But for new treatments, the most important thing is to show that they can save lives. This trial didnt show that.

Heres what it did show.

Improving Biopsies For Prostate Cancer

Traditionally, prostate cancer has been diagnosed using needles inserted into the prostate gland in several places under the guidance of transrectal ultrasound imaging to collect samples of tissue. This approach is called systematic biopsy.

However, ultrasound does not generally show the location of cancer within the prostate. It is mainly used to make sure the biopsy needles go into the gland safely. Therefore, biopsy samples using ultrasound guidance can miss cancer altogether, or identify low-grade cancer while missing areas of high-grade, potentially more aggressive cancers.

Some doctors, concerned that a systematic biopsy showing only low-grade cancer could have missed a high-grade cancer, may suggest surgery or radiation. However these treatments are for a cancer that may have never caused a problem, which is considered overtreatment.

Using MRI and ultrasound. Scientists at NCI have developed a procedure that combines magnetic resonance imaging with TRUS for more accurate prostate biopsies. MRI can locate potential areas of cancer within the gland but is not practical for real-time imaging to guide a prostate biopsy. The new procedure, known as MRI-targeted biopsy, uses computers to fuse an MRI image with an ultrasound image. This lets doctors use ultrasound guidance to biopsy areas of possible cancer seen on MRI.

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Thinking About Taking Part In A Clinical Trial

Clinical trials are carefully controlled research studies that are done to get a closer look at promising new treatments or procedures. Clinical trials are one way to get state-of-the art cancer treatment. In some cases they may be the only way to get access to newer treatments. They are also the best way for doctors to learn better methods to treat cancer. Still, they’re not right for everyone.

If you would like to learn more about clinical trials that might be right for you, start by asking your doctor if your clinic or hospital conducts clinical trials.

• Clinical Trials

Treatments For Cancer Contained In The Prostate

Local prostateThe prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bla… Full DefinitioncancerCancer is a group of diseases where cells grow abnormally an… Full Definition is still contained within the walls of the prostate. Depending on the cancers risk level and location, there are many treatment options. Pay close attention to the risks and benefits of each so you can discuss your best options with your care team.

Continued Below

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Targeted Radiation Therapy And Psma

Scientists are also developing targeted therapies based on PSMA, the same protein that is being tested for imaging prostate cancer. For treatment, the molecule that targets PSMA is chemically linked to a radioactive compound. This new compound can potentially find, bind to, and kill prostate cancer cells throughout the body.

In a recent clinical trial, men with a type of advanced prostate cancer who received a PSMA-targeting drug lived longer than those who received standard therapies. Ongoing and planned clinical trials are testing PSMA-targeting drugs in patients with earlier stages of prostate cancer, and in combination with other treatments, including targeted therapies like PARP inhibitors and immunotherapy.

How Psma Lights Up Cancer Cells

In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued national approval to two new prostate cancer imaging tests based on similar technology. On a PET scan, the test lights up the cancerous cells that would otherwise be hidden, enabling doctors to precisely target treatment.

Both advances in imaging and therapy rely on targeting PSMA, which is not found on most normal cells but is overexpressed in cancer cells, especially those that have spread. The PSMA molecule was cloned at MSK in the early 1990s.

The Molecular Imaging and Therapy Service, led by Heiko Schöder, played a key role in the development and testing of a slightly different PSMA-directed imaging technology at MSK.

This advance is the result of years of work by the community of physicians promoting the use of PSMA agents, Dr. Schöder says. Its gratifying to see a collaborative effort result in a breakthrough that has the potential to make a difference for so many patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Before receiving the therapy, patients in the VISION trial were scanned with PSMA-directed PET imaging to make sure enough PSMA was present in the cells to make them likely to respond to the treatment. If so, they received the radioactive drug by injection over four to six sessions, spaced six weeks apart.

As a next step, Dr. Morris and colleagues are looking into using the PSMA-directed therapy earlier rather than only after the prostate cancer has spread.

Michael Morris

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Research Into Hormone Therapy

Prostate cancer depends on the male hormone testosterone for its growth. Hormone therapies block or lower the levels of testosterone. You might have it to lower the risk of your cancer coming back after treatment or to shrink or slow the growth of prostate cancer.

Researchers are looking into:

• the best time to have hormone therapy
• having hormone therapy in combination with other treatments

New Hormone Therapy Drugs

Testosterone drives prostate cancer growth, so medications often target it, says Timothy Daskivich, M.D., urologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, CA. For many years, patients who progressed on traditional androgen deprivation therapy had few options other than chemo, he says. But new androgen receptor signaling inhibitors can provide excellent cancer control and responses in those patients and have shown improved survival chances in patients with metastatic and castration-sensitive disease when given in conjunction with traditional hormone blockade. These new drugs include abiraterone acetate, apalutamide, enzalutamide, and Orgovyx , the only androgen-deprivation therapy that comes in pill form.

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Advances In Prostate Cancer Research

Nanoparticles are tested as a means to deliver drugs to prostate cancer cells.

NCI-funded researchers are working to advance our understanding of how to prevent, detect, and treat prostate cancer. Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer will live a long time, but challenges remain in choosing the best treatments for individuals at all stages of the disease.

This page highlights some of the latest research in prostate cancer, including clinical advances that may soon translate into improved care, NCI-supported programs that are fueling progress, and research findings from recent studies.

Dr Ashley Ross On The Biggest Recent Advances In Prostate Cancer

The field of prostate cancer has undergone transformative change over the past decade, with new treatments and technologies revolutionizing screening and treatment. In an interview during the 2022 LUGPA Annual Meeting, Ashley Ross, MD, PhD, discussed these advances as well as unmet needs in prostate cancer. Ross is an associate professor of Urology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

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Just One Weapon Against Cancer

Before treatment with PLUVICTOTM is recommended, patients undergo a PSMA-PET/CT scan to determine if their tumor contains the PSMA target. If it does not, PLUVICTOTM would not be appropriate, explained Dr. Wong. At Duke we treat you as an individual. Each case is discussed among a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, radiologists, and nuclear medicine specialists. He emphasized that PLUVICTOTM is not for everyone and is just one weapon in the arsenal for fighting cancer. Our team will determine how and if this new option fits in with all the others we offer.

Duke can provide PLUVICTOTM and other novel treatments because it is a Comprehensive Cancer Center with the latest advances in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer. Duke is also recognized as a Comprehensive Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Center of Excellence, which requires strict adherence to safety and treatment criteria that ensures the best care for patients.

Fusion Guided Focal Laser Ablation Of Prostate Cancer

Background:

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in U.S. men. Treatments for early or less aggressive disease are limited. Researchers want to test a device that destroys cancerous tissue with laser energy. They want to see if using it with ultrasound is more comfortable than using it with magnetic resonance imaging .

Objectives:

To test a cooled laser applicator system to treat prostate cancer lesions. To see if ultrasound imaging is a practical and feasible treatment with laser ablation for focal prostate cancer treatment.

Eligibility:

Men at least 18 years old with prostate cancer seen on MRI that has not spread in the body.

Design:

Participants will be screened with standard cancer care tests. These can include physical exam, lab tests, and MRI. For the MRI, they lie in a machine that takes pictures. Participants will have a prostate biopsy. Needle samples will be taken from 12 places in the prostate. This will be guided by MRI and ultrasound, which is obtained through a coil in the rectum.

The cooling catheter will be removed. A different catheter will be put in the urethra to keep the bladder emptied.

Background:

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Progress In Prostate Cancer Research

The American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022 was held in New Orleans in April. Presentations covered topics from cancer prevention to basic biology to clinical studies to survivorship. This month, we highlight discoveries from the cancer biology lab: two new potential targets for prostate cancer therapy.

A New Approach to Targeting the Androgen Receptor in Advanced Prostate Cancer

The androgen receptor is the main driver of prostate cancer and the primary therapeutic target. Medications include standard hormone therapy and the newer agents abiraterone, apalutamide, darolutamide, and enzalutamide. However, tumors frequently develop resistance to AR-targeted therapy and progress. Novel strategies to target AR are needed.

PCF-funded investigator Luke Gilbert, PhD and colleagues conducted a study to identify new regulators of AR, which have potential as treatment targets for prostate cancer. The team used the gene technology called CRISPR to look for molecules that influence prostate cancers growth.

In ongoing studies, the team is further optimizing the chemistry and pharmacology of PTGES3 inhibitors, in order to develop a clinic-ready PTGES3 inhibitor that can be tested in clinical trials.

Take-home point: Researchers have used the gene-editing technology CRISPR to identify a potential new treatment target for prostate cancer called PTGES3.

Internal Clock Gene as a Potential Target for Prostate Cancer Therapy

About Prostate Cancer Foundation

A New Type Of Pet Scan

One breakthrough is the approval of a new technology to detect advanced prostate cancers: prostate-specific membrane antigen PET scanning. It works by using radioactive tracers that attach to a protein called PSMA often found on prostate cancer cells, per the American Cancer Society. PSMA PET scanning has the potential to significantly change how we treat men with high-risk, clinically localized prostate cancer as well as recurrent prostate cancer, says Sam Haywood, M.D., urologist at the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. By more sensitively detecting prostate cancer metastasis, this allows for the appropriate staging and treatment.

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New Breakthroughs And Treatment Options For Metastatic Castrate

In recent years, scientists have made some landmark discoveries in how to treat mCRPC. New treatments for this form of cancer are being found. Also, changes are being made to existing treatments so they work better. If you are diagnosed with mCRPC, your doctor may prescribe one of these treatments:

Vaccines or Immunotherapy. Usually, vaccines prevent infections. Lately, researchers have been looking into using vaccines to treat mCPRC. If your prostate cancer returns despite hormone therapy and is metastatic, your doctor may offer the cancer vaccine sipuleucel-T . Sipuleucel-T works by boosting the bodys immune system so it attacks cancer cells. This is the first vaccine that has been shown to help men with prostate cancer live longer. Other prostate cancer vaccines are also being studied.

New Hormone Therapies. Two new kinds of hormone therapies have helped men with mCRPC delay symptoms and live longer.

Androgen synthesis inhibitors. The oral drug abiraterone acetate stops your body and the cancer from making steroids . Because of the way it works, this drug must be taken with an oral steroid known as prednisone. Abiraterone is approved by the FDA for use before or after chemotherapy in men with mCRPC