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Updated: Jul 24, 2025

A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Immunotherapy combinations for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer - failed trials and future aspects
1Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
Immunotherapy, a treatment modality currently synonymous with immune checkpoint blockade remains a challenge for prostate cancer. Despite multiple phase 3 trials using checkpoint inhibitors in combinatorial approaches, there have been no benefits to date in overall survival or radiographic progression free survival. However, newer strategies prevail that are directed to a variety of unique cell surface antigens. These strategies include unique vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T, bispecific T cell engager platforms, and antibody-drug conjugates.
Recent Findings:
New antigens are being targeted by various immunologic strategies. These antigens are pan-carcinoma as they may be expressed on a variety of cancers but remains effective targets for therapeutic attack.
Summary:
Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors alone or in combination with a variety of agents such as chemotherapy, poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors or novel biologics have met with failure in the endpoints of overall survival (OS) and radiographic progresson-free survival (rPFS). Despite these efforts, other immunologic efforts to develop unique tumor-targeted strategies should be continued.
Insights
Prostate cancer immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors has failed to improve survival. Novel strategies targeting unique cancer antigens, including vaccines and CAR T-cells, show promise for future treatments.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Prostate cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint blockade, has not demonstrated significant survival benefits in clinical trials.
- Despite extensive research, combination therapies involving checkpoint inhibitors have failed to meet primary endpoints for overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS).
Approach:
- Exploring novel immunotherapeutic strategies targeting unique cell surface antigens expressed across various cancer types.
- Investigating advanced modalities such as cancer vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, bispecific T-cell engagers, and antibody-drug conjugates.
Key Points:
- Newer immunologic strategies are focusing on specific tumor antigens that are pan-carcinoma, offering potential therapeutic targets.
- These novel approaches aim to overcome the limitations of current checkpoint inhibitor therapies in prostate cancer.
Conclusions:
- While checkpoint inhibitors have shown limited success, continued research into targeted immunotherapies is crucial for advancing prostate cancer treatment.
- Developing therapies directed at unique tumor antigens represents a promising avenue for improving patient outcomes in prostate cancer.
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