J&J Says Erleada Cuts Prostate Cancer Spread or Death Risk 20% in Phase 3 Trial
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 31
J&J Says Erleada Cuts Prostate Cancer Spread or Death Risk 20% in Phase 3 Trial
10 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 31
More than 2,000 men in a late-stage trial saw Erleada plus hormone therapy cut the risk of cancer spread or death by 20% when given around prostate surgery.
At surgery, 8.9% of patients on the combination had little to no detectable cancer versus 1% on hormone therapy alone, after more than five years of follow-up.
A full year of Erleada treatment pushed the average time before further therapy to more than six years—nearly double the control group—and reduced recurrence or death risk by 29%.
Chicago ASCO data could reshape care for high-risk localized or locally advanced prostate cancer, where surgery and radiation remain standard and nearly half of patients relapse.
J&J said safety matched prior studies and plans to seek global approvals to expand Erleada into earlier-stage prostate cancer.
With significant side effects, is Erleada's improved cancer survival rate a worthwhile trade-off for all high-risk patients?
Could this drug's success in aiding surgery lead to future therapies that make invasive prostate surgery obsolete?
Hailed as a 'paradigm change,' how soon will this costly new regimen become the global standard of care?
Landmark PROTEUS Trial Shows Apalutamide Plus Hormone Therapy Improves Outcomes in High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer
Overview
The PROTEUS trial marks a major advance in treating high-risk localized or locally advanced prostate cancer, as highlighted at the ASCO 2026 meeting. Patients with this aggressive disease often face high recurrence rates, but the PROTEUS trial aims to address this challenge by offering more effective interventions. Insights from experts, including Mary-Ellen Taplin, emphasized the trial’s potential to redefine treatment strategies and improve long-term outcomes. By focusing on the need for better therapies, the PROTEUS trial is positioned as a landmark step toward reducing recurrence and improving survival for high-risk prostate cancer patients.