Patient and caregiver benefit-risk preferences for nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment

Sandy Srinivas1, Ateesha F Mohamed2, Sreevalsa Appukkuttan2

  • 1Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA.

Cancer Medicine
|July 30, 2020
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Patients and caregivers prioritize reducing adverse events (AEs) over overall survival (OS) when choosing treatments for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). They are willing to trade OS to minimize risks like serious fractures and falls.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Patient-Reported Outcomes
  • Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

  • Second-generation androgen receptor inhibitors (SGARIs) offer similar efficacy for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) but have distinct safety profiles.
  • Understanding patient and caregiver preferences for treatment benefits versus risks is crucial for shared decision-making in nmCRPC management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess how nmCRPC patients and their caregivers perceive and prioritize the risks and benefits of SGARIs.
  • To quantify the trade-offs patients and caregivers are willing to make between overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs).

Main Methods:

  • A discrete choice experiment (DCE) survey was administered to 143 nmCRPC patients and 149 caregivers.
  • Respondents evaluated hypothetical treatment profiles varying in safety attributes (fatigue, skin rash, cognitive problems, serious fall, serious fracture) and efficacy attributes (OS duration, time to pain progression).
  • Random parameters logit models estimated attribute importance and willingness-to-trade OS for AE risk reduction.

Main Results:

  • Serious fracture and serious fall were the most important AEs for both patients and caregivers.
  • Patients were willing to trade a median of 5.8 months of OS to eliminate the risk of serious fracture and 4.0 months for serious falls.
  • Caregivers showed a higher willingness-to-trade, valuing OS reduction at 6.6 months for fractures and 5.4 months for falls.

Conclusions:

  • nmCRPC patients and caregivers strongly prefer treatments with lower AE burdens.
  • There is a significant willingness to forego overall survival to reduce the risk and severity of specific adverse events.
  • Balancing treatment risks and benefits is essential for selecting optimal therapies in the nmCRPC population, particularly given their often asymptomatic state.

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