A new treatment strategy for prostate cancer has shown promising results in reducing the risk of disease progression and death, according to data from a late-stage clinical trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago.
The study evaluated the use of Johnson & Johnson’s prostate cancer drug Erleada in combination with hormone-blocking therapy before and after prostate surgery.
Researchers found that the approach significantly improved the chances of eliminating cancer and lowered the risk of the disease spreading.
According to the trial results, patients who received Erleada alongside hormone therapy were nine times more likely to have little or no detectable cancer in the prostate at the time of surgery compared with those who received hormone-blocking therapy alone.
The company said the treatment regimen also reduced the risk of cancer spreading or death by 20 per cent.
Researchers further examined a full year of treatment, including therapy administered both before and after surgery.
Among patients who received the combined treatment, men lived for more than six years on average without requiring additional therapy.
The study also found a 29pc reduction in the overall risk of cancer recurrence and death.
Experts said the findings could influence how physicians treat men with high-risk localized or locally advanced prostate cancer, offering a potential new approach for patients facing an increased likelihood of disease progression.
Currently, surgery to remove the prostate and radiation therapy remain the standard treatments for patients with high-risk forms of the disease.
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