[Choice of new drugs in castration-resistant prostate cancer: predictive factors and effectiveness assessment]

Docetaxel has been the cornerstone in the treatment of castration- resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) since 2004. The recent and almost simultaneous arrival of new and effective molecules - several of which are already available on the market - has added to the CRPC treatment arsenal. Several studies have explored the optimal order in which these new treatments should be administered. The aim of this review was to present their respective predictive and evaluative factors and suggest potential administration sequences.

The PubMed medical literature citations database was searched using the following key words: prostate cancer, castration resistant, metastatic, targeted therapy, treatment sequence, immunotherapy and clinical trials. The reports of the most recent European and North American congresses were also included.

While no predictive factors have been clearly identified for these new therapies to date, a Gleason score of not less than 8 and one or more chemotherapy sessions seemed to be predictive of lower efficacy for abiraterone. Promising elements for further investigation include the circulating tumour cell count and variation in this count per treatment, ERG mutation status or the intratumoural androgen status. Substitution criteria have not yet been reported but, as is the case with all hormone therapies, changes in PSA levels emerge as a valuable indicator of the efficacy of abiraterone. The best treatment sequence for patients who develop castration-resistance remains to be defined.

Although new molecules have recently become available, the experience with their use is limited. Thus, no predictive markers of response rates and treatment outcomes or data concerning the best treatment sequence to use in patients with CRPC are as yet available.