Current paradigms and evolving concepts in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Until recently, docetaxel-based therapy represented the only therapy shown to prolong survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The past year and a half has been marked by unprecedented progress in treatments for this disease. Three positive phase III clinical trials have emerged, each evaluating agents (sipuleucel-T, cabazitaxel and abiraterone) with distinct mechanisms of action. Herein, the three pivotal trials are described alongside both past and current large phase III studies conducted in this mCRPC. The overall survival for patients with mCRPC treated in current clinical trials is considerably longer than noted in the past. We note that more recent trials with older agents have also shown improved survival and discuss potential non-therapeutic biases that influence this critical measure of outcome. The necessity for utilizing randomized trials when evaluating new therapeutics is emphasized given the changing prognosis in this mCRPC.