title: Phase III data for abiraterone in an evolving landscape for castration-resistant prostate cancer.
abstract: At the 2010 meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), a landmark development in prostate cancer therapy was unveiled. In a phase III study, the CYP17 inhibitor abiraterone yielded a survival advantage over placebo in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who had progressed despite prior docetaxel therapy. The data for abiraterone follow the publication of successful phase III studies earlier this year supporting two mechanistically distinct agents-namely, the novel taxane cabazitaxel and the autologous dendritic cell vaccine sipuleucel-T. A challenge that lies ahead for the scientific community is to discern the appropriate positioning of abiraterone in an increasingly crowded therapeutic landscape. Several ongoing trials are examining the agent in earlier settings (i.e., a phase III in mCRPC pre-docetaxel, and smaller studies in combination with radiation therapy or as neoadjuvant pre-surgery for localized disease). Herein, several potential strategies for abiraterone are presented to clarify the clinical utilization of this agent in the future.
authors.forename: Sumanta Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sartor
mesh_terms: D000736:Androstenes; D000737:Androstenols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D000077143:Docetaxel; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D000737:Androstenols; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D000077143:Docetaxel; C552428:cabazitaxel; C511774:sipuleucel-T; C089740:abiraterone