Skip to main content

Defining Clinical Endpoints in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Management of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Urology ((CCU))

  • 865 Accesses

Abstract

Over the past five years a better understanding of the biology of CRPC has led to the regulatory approval of five new agents, all having evidence of the ability to improve overall survival (OS). The introduction of these novel compounds in our treatment armamentarium will likely challenge future drug development and registration strategies for new agents undergoing clinical testing in this patient population. The utility of endpoints including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rate (ORR) used in clinical trial development are now challenged by the apparent disconnect between OS, and these commonly used intermediate markers of clinical efficacy. Quality of life (QOL), pain, and skeletal-related complications have also become attractive potential endpoints for drug development given the bone tropism of metastatic prostate cancer. Drug development both in the pre- and post-chemotherapy settings will be faced with new levels of complexity as many of the novel agents recently approved are used earlier in the management of the disease. Similarly, recent data suggesting that earlier use of chemotherapy for men with metastatic hormone-naïve prostate cancer, i.e. given concomitantly with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) leads to improved survival will also challenge future trial design in men with castration-responsive disease. In this chapter, we review traditional endpoints used for drug development in mCRPC and discuss some of the challenges faced when interpreting clinical drug development in this setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Sator O. Endpoints in prostate cancer clinical trials. Urology. 2002;60(Suppl 3A):101–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Scher H, Morris M, Basch E, Heller G. End points and outcomes in castration-resistant prostate cancer: from clinical trials to clinical practice. J Clin Oncol. 2011;27:3695–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Oxnard G, Morris M, Hodi F, Baker L, Kris M, Venook A, et al. When progressive disease does not mean treatment failure: reconsidering the criteria for progression. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012;104:1534–41.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Scher H, Morris M, Kelly W, Schwartz L, Heller G. Prostate cancer clinical trial end points: “RECIST”ing a step backwards. Clin Cancer Res. 2005;15:5223–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Grossmann M, Huang H, Tindall D. Androgen receptor signaling in androgen-refractory prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2001;93:1687–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Scher H, Buchanan G, Gerald W, Butler L, Tilley W. Targeting the androgen receptor: improving outcomes for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2004;11:459–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Scher HI, Fizazi K, Saad F, Taplin M-E, Sternberg CN, Miller K, et al. Increased survival with enzalutamide in prostate cancer after chemotherapy. N Engl J Med. 2012;367(13):1187–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. de Bono JS, Logothetis CJ, Molina A, Fizazi K, North S, Chu L, et al. Abiraterone and increased survival in metastatic prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(21):1995–2005.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ryan CJ, Smith MR, de Bono JS, Molina A, Logothetis CJ, de Souza P, et al. Abiraterone in metastatic prostate cancer without previous chemotherapy. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(2):138–48.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Galsky M, Small A, Tsao C, Oh W. Clinical development of novel therapeutics for castration-resistant prostate cancer: historic challenges and recent successes. CA Cancer J Clin. 2012;62:299–308.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kantoff PW, Higano CS, Shore ND, Berger ER, Small EJ, Penson DF, et al. Sipuleucel-T immunotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(5):411–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Scher H, Sawyers C. Biology of progressive, castration-resistant prostate cancer: directed therapies targeting the androgen-receptor signaling axis. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:8253–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Armstrong A, Ferrari A, Quinn D. The role of surrogate markers in the management of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol. 2011;9:1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Morris M, Autio K, Basch E, Danila D, Larson S, Scher H. Monitoring the clinical outcomes in advanced prostate cancer: what imaging modalities and other markers are reliable? Semin Oncol. 2013;40:375–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Roychowdhury S, Chinnaiyan A. Advancing precision medicine for prostate cancer through genomics. J Clin Oncol. 2013;31:1866–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Seton-Rogers S. Cancer genomics: coming in waves. Nat Rev Cancer. 2013;13:379.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Fleming M, Morris M, Heller G, Scher H. Post-therapy changes in PSA as an outcome measure in prostate cancer clinical trials. Nat Clin Pract Oncol. 2006;12:658–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Petrylak D, Ankerst D, Jiang C, Tangen C, Hussain M, Lara P, et al. Evaluation of prostate-specific antigen declines for surrogacy in patients treated on SWOG 99-16. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006;98:516–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Collette L, Burzykowski T, Carroll K, Newling D, Morris T, Schröder F. Is prostate-specific antigen a valid surrogate end point for survival in hormonally treated patients with metastatic prostate cancer? Joint research of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, the Limburgs Universitair Centrum, and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:6139–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Ferro M, Gillatt D, Symes M, Smith P. High-dose intravenous estrogen therapy in advanced prostatic carcinoma. Use of serum prostate-specific antigen to monitor response. Urology. 1989;34:134–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Scher H, Curley T, Geller N, Engstrom C, Dershaw D, Lin S, et al. Trimetrexate in prostatic cancer: preliminary observations on the use of prostate-specific antigen and acid phosphatase as a marker in measurable hormone-refractory disease. J Clin Oncol. 1990;8:1830–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Scher H, Kelly W, Zhang Z, Ouyang P, Sun M, Schwartz M, et al. Post-therapy serum prostate-specific antigen level and survival in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999;91:244–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Smith D, Dunn R, Strawderman M, Pienta K. Change in serum prostate-specific antigen as a marker of response to cytotoxic therapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 1998;19:1835–41.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Thalmann G, Sikes R, Chang S, Johnston D, von Eschenbach A, Chung L. Suramin-induced decrease in prostate-specific antigen expression with no effect on tumor growth in the LNCaP model of human prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996;88:794–801.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sridhara R, Eisenberger M, Sinibaldi V, Reyno L, Egorin M. Evaluation of prostate-specific antigen as a surrogate marker for response of hormone-refractory prostate cancer to suramin therapy. J Clin Oncol. 1995;12:2944–53.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Scher H, Eisenberger M, D'Amico A, Halabi S, Small E, Morris M, et al. Eligibility and outcomes reporting guidelines for clinical trials for patients in the state of a rising prostate-specific antigen: recommendations from the Prostate-Specific Antigen Working Group. J Clin Oncol. 2004;22:537–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hussain M, Goldman B, Tangen C, Higano C, Petrylak D, Wilding G, et al. Prostate-specific antigen progression predicts overall survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer: data from Southwest Oncology Group Trials 9346 (Intergroup Study 0162) and 9916. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27:2450–6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hussain M, Tangen C, Higano C, Schellhammer P, Faulkner J, Crawford E, et al. Absolute prostate-specific antigen value after androgen deprivation is a strong independent predictor of survival in new metastatic prostate cancer: data from Southwest Oncology Group Trial 9346 (INT-0162). J Clin Oncol. 2006;24:3984–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Hussain M, Tangen C, Berry D, Higano C, Crawford E, Liu G, et al. Intermittent versus continuous androgen deprivation in prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:1314–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Tannock I, de Wit R, Berry W, Horti J, Pluzanska A, Chi K, et al. Docetaxel plus prednisone or mitoxantrone plus prednisone for advanced prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1502–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Petrylak D, Tangen C, Hussain M, Lara P, Jones J, Talpin M, et al. Docetaxel and estramustine compared with mitoxantrone and prednisone for advanced refractory prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1513–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Scher HI, Halabi S, Tannock I, Morris M, Sternberg C, Carducci M, et al. Design and end points of clinical trials for patients with progressive prostate cancer and castrate levels of testosterone: recommendations of the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26:1148–59.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Parker C, Nilsson S, Heinrich D, Helle SI, O'Sullivan JM, Fosså SD, et al. Alpha emitter radium-223 and survival in metastatic prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(3):213–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Halabi S, Armstrong A, Sartor O, de Bono J, Kaplan E, Lin C, et al. Prostate-specific antigen changes as surrogate for overall survival in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with second-line chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 2013;31:3944–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Prentice R. Surrogate endpoints in clinical trials: definition and operational criteria. Stat Med. 1989;8:431–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Beer T, Armstrong A, Sternberg C, Higano C, Iverson P, Loriot Y, et al. Enzalutamide in men with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic prostate cancer (mCRPC): Results of Phase 3 PREVAIL Study. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32 suppl 4:abstr LBA1.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Garcia J. Sipuleucel-T in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: an insight for oncologists. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2011;3:101–8.

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Therasse P, Arbuck S, Eisenhauer E, Wanders J, Kaplan R, Rubinstein L, et al. New guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, National Cancer Institute of the United States, National Cancer Institute of Canada. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2000;92:205–16.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Figg W, Ammerman K, Patronas N, Steinberg S, Walls R, Dawson N, et al. Lack of correlation between prostate-specific antigen and the presence of measurable soft tissue metastases in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Cancer Invest. 1996;14:513–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Sonpavde G, Pond G, Berry W, de Wit R, Eisenberger M, Tannock I, et al. The association between radiographic response and overall survival in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer receiving chemotherapy. Cancer. 2011;117:3963–71.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Eisenhauer EA, Therasse P, Bogaerts J, Sargent D, Ford R, Dancey J, et al. New response evaluation criteria in solid tumours: revised RECIST guideline (version 1.1). Eur J Cancer. 2009;45:228–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Smith D, Smith M, Sweeney C, Elfiky A, Logothetis C, Corn P, et al. Cabozantinib in patients with advanced prostate cancer: results of a phase II randomized discontinuation trial. J Clin Oncol. 2013;31:412–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Jadvar H, Desai B, Ji L, Conti P, Dorff T, Groshen S, et al. Prospective evaluation of 18F-NaF and 18F-FDG PET/CT in detection of occult metastatic disease in biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. Clin Nucl Med. 2012;37:637–43.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Beheshti M, Haim S, Zakavi R, Steinmair M, Waldenberger P, Kunit T, et al. Impact of 18F-choline PET/CT in prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence: influence of androgen deprivation therapy and correlation with PSA kinetics. J Nucl Med. 2013;54:833–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Nelson J, Love W, Chin J, Saad F, Schulman C, Sleep D, et al. Phase 3, randomized, controlled trial of atrasentan in patients with nonmetastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Cancer. 2008;113:2478–87.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Smith M, Saad F, Coleman R, Shore N, Fizazi K, Tombal B, et al. Denosumab and bone-metastasis-free survival in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer: results of a phase 3, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2012;379:39–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Saad F, Gleason DM, Murray R, Tchekmedyian S, Venner P, et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of zoledronic acid in patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002;94:1458–68.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Fizazi K, Carducci M, Smith M, Damião R, Brown J, Karsh L, et al. Denosumab versus zoledronic acid for treatment of bone metastases in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer: a randomised, double-blind study. Lancet. 2011;377:813–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Logothetis C, Basch E, Molina A, Fizazi K, North S, Chi K, et al. Effect of abiraterone acetate and prednisone compared with placebo and prednisone on pain control and skeletal-related events in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: exploratory analysis of data from the COU-AA-301 randomised trial. Lancet Oncol. 2012;13:1210–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Fizazi K, Scher H, Saad F, et al. Impact of enzalutamide, an androgen receptor signaling inhibitor, on time to first skeletal related event (SRE) and pain in the phase 3 AFFIRM study. In: 37th European society for medical oncology congress. 2012; Abstract 8960.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Korn R, Crowley J. Progression-free survival as an endpoint in clinical trials with solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res. 2013;19:2607–12.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Halabi S, Vogelsang N, Ou S, Archer L, Small E. Progression-free survival as a predictor of overall survival in men with castrate-resistant prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27:2766–71.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Sternberg C, Petrylak D, Sartor O, Witjes J, Demkow T, Ferrero I, et al. Phase III trial of satraplatin, an oral platinum plus prednisone vs. prednisone alone in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27:5431–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. de Bono J, Oudard S, Ozguroglu M, Hansen S, Machiels J, Kocak I, et al. Prednisone plus cabazitaxel or mitoxantrone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer progressing after docetaxel treatment: a randomised open-label trial. Lancet. 2010;376:1147–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Fizaz K, Scher H, Molina A, Logothetis C, Chi K, Jones R, et al. Abiraterone acetate for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: final overall survival analysis of the COU-AA-301 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Lancet Oncol. 2012;13:982–92.

    Google Scholar 

  56. Dreicer R, Jones R, Oudard S, et al. Results from a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial of orteronel (TAK-700) plus prednisone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that has progressed during or following docetaxel-based therapy (ELM-PC 5 trial). J Clin Oncol. 2014;32 suppl 4:abstr 7.

    Google Scholar 

  57. Tannock I, Osaba D, Stackler M, Ernst D, Neville A, Moore M, et al. Chemotherapy with mitoxantrone plus prednisone or prednisone alone for symptomatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer: a Canadian randomized trial with palliative end points. J Clin Oncol. 1996;14:1756–64.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Halabi S, Vogelsang N, Kornblith A, Ou S, Kantoff P, Dawson N, et al. Pain predicts overall survival in men with metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26:2544–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Shaffer D, Leversha M, Danila D, Lin O, Gonzalez-Espinoza R, Gu B, et al. Circulating tumor cell analysis in patients with progressive castration-resistant prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2007;13:2023–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Allard W, Matera J, Miller M, Repollet M, Connelly M, Rao C, et al. Tumor cells circulate in the peripheral blood of all major carcinomas but not in healthy subjects or patients with nonmalignant diseases. Clin Cancer Res. 2004;10:6897–904.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Cristofanilli M, Budd G, Ellis M, Stopeck A, Matera J, Miller M, et al. Circulating tumor cells, disease progression, and survival in metastatic breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:781–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Scher H, Jia X, de Bono J, Fleisher M, Pienta K, Raghavan D, et al. Circulating tumour cells as prognostic markers in progressive, castration-resistant prostate cancer: a reanalysis of IMMC38 trial data. Lancet Oncol. 2009;10:233–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. de Bono J, Scher H, Montgomery R, Parker C, Miller M, Tissing H, et al. Circulating tumor cells predict survival benefit from treatment in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2008;14:6302–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Danila D, Morris M, De Bono J, Ryan C, Smith M, Taplin M, et al. Phase II multicenter study of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone therapy in patients with docetaxel-treated castration-resistant prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28:1496–501.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Scher H, Beer T, Higano C, Anand A, Taplin M, Efstathiou E, et al. Antitumour activity of MDV3100 in castration-resistant prostate cancer: a phase 1–2 study. Lancet. 2010;375:1437–46.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Scher H, Heller G, Molina A, et al. Evaluation of circulating tumor cell enumeration as an efficacy response biomarker of overall survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: planned final analysis of COU-AA-301, a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study of abiraterone acetate plus low-dose prednisone post docetaxel. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(suppl), abstract LBA4517.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jorge A. Garcia MD, FACP .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Garcia, J.A., Dreicer, R. (2014). Defining Clinical Endpoints in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. In: Saad, F., Eisenberger, M. (eds) Management of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer. Current Clinical Urology. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1176-9_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1176-9_14

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-1175-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-1176-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics