Advances in the management of high-risk localised and metastatic prostate cancer

At the third annual Interactive Genitourinary Cancer Conference, held in Budapest from 30 April to 1 May 2011, the latest developments in the management of patients with high-risk localised and metastatic prostate cancer were discussed. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Western men and, for advanced disease, no curative agents are available. For men with high-risk localised disease there is debate about the best treatment approaches, with both radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy shown to improve outcomes. These approaches have started to be augmented as new techniques and therapies are developed. For instance, radiation therapy combined with androgen deprivation therapy has been shown to be more efficacious than radiation therapy alone, and there may also be a role for adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Ultimately a multidisciplinary approach will most probably result in the best outcomes for patients. The use of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer needs to be monitored carefully, given that it results in adverse alterations in several metabolic parameters and an increased risk of further coronary events in men with cardiovascular disease in some studies. Until recently there were limited options for the management of men with advanced prostate cancer, but new agents for use in the post-docetaxel setting have recently been approved. These are cabazitaxel and abiraterone acetate, which have both shown a significant survival benefit in patients who have progressed on docetaxel. Additional agents, for these patients and for patients at other stages of disease, are in the later stages of development. The development of new agents has been aided by a greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms of resistance to current therapies and the recognition of new pathophysiological pathways. As the number of available therapeutic options increases, it will become increasingly important to tailor treatments to the individual patient. This may require the development of novel biomarkers or the use of existing or new predictive tools based on prognostic factors. To ensure optimal patient care, early and continuous involvement of the multidisciplinary team will be required.