4 research outputs found
Current perspectives on bone metastases in castrate-resistant prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most frequent noncutaneous cancer occurring in men. On average, men with localized prostate cancer have
a high 10-year survival rate, and many can be cured. However, men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer have
incurable disease with poor survival despite intensive therapy. This unmet need has led to recent advances in therapy aimed at
treating bone metastases resulting from prostate cancer. The bone microenvironment lends itself to metastases in castrate-resistant
prostate cancer, as a result of complex interactions between the microenvironment and tumor cells. The development of 223radium
dichloride (Ra-223) to treat symptomatic bone metastases has improved survival in men with metastatic castrate-resistant
prostate cancer. Moreover, Ra-223 may have effects on the tumor microenvironment that enhance its activity. Ra-223 treatment
has been shown to prolong survival, and its effects on the immune system are under investigation. Because prostate cancer affects
a sizable portion of the adult male population, understanding how it metastasizes to bone is an important step in advancing
therapy. Clinical trials that are underway should yield new information on whether Ra-223 synergizes effectively with immunotherapy
agents and whether Ra-223 has enhancing effects on the immune system in patients with prostate cancer