Neoadjuvant Treatment of High-Risk, Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer Prior to Radical Prostatectomy

Multimodal strategies combining local and systemic therapy offer the greatest chance of cure for many with men with high-risk prostate cancer who may harbor occult metastatic disease. However, no systemic therapy combined with radical prostatectomy has proven beneficial. This was in part due to a lack of effective systemic agents; however, there have been several advancements in the metastatic and castrate-resistant prostate cancer that might prove beneficial if given earlier in the natural history of the disease. For example, novel hormonal agents have recently been approved for castration-resistant prostate cancer with some early phase II neoadjuvant showing promise. Additionally, combination therapy with docetaxel-based chemohormonal has demonstrated a profound survival benefit in metastatic hormone-naive patients and might have a role in eliminating pre-existing ADT-resistant tumor cells in the neoadjuvant setting. The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB)/Alliance 90203 trial has finished accrual and should answer the question as to whether neoadjuvant docetaxel-based chemohormonal therapy provides an advantage over prostatectomy alone. There are also several promising targeted agents and immunotherapies under investigation in phase I/II trials with the potential to provide benefit in the neoadjuvant setting.