Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Ablative radiotherapy in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Tobias Hölscher1,2,3, Fabian Lohaus1,2,3, Lydia Koi1,3,4
1Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany.
Metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) may extend the time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study suggests MDT could be a beneficial oncological treatment option for CRPC patients with limited metastases.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Radiation Oncology
- Urology
Background:
- Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with limited metastases presents a treatment challenge.
- Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and androgen-receptor targeted therapies are standard systemic treatments.
- The role of metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) in oligometastatic CRPC requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the oncological benefit of ablative radiotherapy as MDT in patients with CRPC and up to five metastases.
- To assess the impact of MDT on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression compared to observation.
Main Methods:
- A single-centre, randomised, phase II clinical trial.
- Patients with PSA progression during ADT or combined ADT/androgen-receptor targeted therapy were enrolled.
- Participants were randomised (2:1) to receive MDT or observation (OBS) while maintaining systemic therapy.
Main Results:
- Median time to PSA progression was significantly longer in the MDT arm (12.4 months) versus the OBS arm (2.9 months) (P=0.03).
- PSA progression within 1 year occurred in 44% of the MDT group compared to 75% in the OBS group (P=0.14).
- The study did not meet pre-defined criteria to discontinue based on this interim analysis.
Conclusions:
- This interim analysis suggests MDT may extend time to PSA progression in oligometastatic CRPC.
- MDT can be considered without immediate changes to ongoing systemic therapy.
- Further multicentre studies are planned to confirm these findings.
