title: Denosumab for the prevention of skeletal complications in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: comparison of skeletal-related events and symptomatic skeletal events.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In a phase III trial in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and bone metastases, denosumab was superior to zoledronic acid in reducing skeletal-related events (SREs; radiation to bone, pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, or spinal cord compression). This study reassessed the efficacy of denosumab using symptomatic skeletal events (SSEs) as a prespecified exploratory end point.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with CRPC, no previous bisphosphonate exposure, and radiographic evidence of bone metastasis were randomized to subcutaneous denosumab 120 mg plus i.v. placebo every 4 weeks (Q4W), or i.v. zoledronic acid 4 mg plus subcutaneous placebo Q4W during the blinded treatment phase. SSEs were defined as radiation to bone, symptomatic pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, or symptomatic spinal cord compression. The relationship between SSE or SRE and time to moderate/severe pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with denosumab significantly reduced the risk of developing first SSE [HR, 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-0.93; P = 0.005] and first and subsequent SSEs (rate ratio, 0.78; 95% CI 0.65-0.92; P = 0.004) compared with zoledronic acid. The treatment differences in the number of patients with SSEs or SREs were similar (n = 48 and n = 45, respectively). Among patients with no/mild pain at baseline, both SSEs and SREs were associated with moderate/severe pain development (P < 0.0001). Fewer patients had skeletal complications, particularly fractures, when defined as SSE versus SRE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with CRPC and bone metastases, denosumab reduced the risk of skeletal complications versus zoledronic acid regardless of whether the end point was defined as SSE or SRE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, USA smith.matthew@mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, Sheffield Cancer Research Centre, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klotz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pittman
authors.affiliation: Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan Department of Radiotherapy, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milecki
authors.affiliation: St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balakumaran
authors.affiliation: Global Biostatistical Science, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Global Biostatistical Science, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, University of Paris Sud, Paris, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fizazi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary*; D000069448:Denosumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064129:Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D000069448:Denosumab
keywords: denosumab; phase III; prostate cancer; skeletal-related events; symptomatic skeletal events; zoledronic acid