UPDATE: A groundbreaking clinical trial has revealed that a new drug combination can reduce the risk of death in men with advanced prostate cancer by over 40%. This urgent development was announced on October 19, 2025, during the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Berlin and published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The combination therapy, which pairs enzalutamide with standard hormone treatment, targets men whose prostate cancer returns aggressively after surgery or radiation. This new approach comes at a crucial time when treatment options are severely limited for these patients.
Dr. Stephen Freedland, director of the Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, emphasized the significance of these findings. “Hormone therapy has not improved survival for 30 years. These results are a real game changer,” he stated.
The trial included over 1,000 patients across 244 sites in 17 countries. Participants diagnosed with high-risk biochemically recurrent prostate cancer exhibited rapidly rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), indicating a high likelihood of cancer recurrence and spread.
Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard hormone therapy alone, enzalutamide alone, or the combination of both. After an eight-year follow-up, the risk of death among those receiving the combination therapy was found to be 40.3% lower compared to the other groups.
“This clinical trial exemplifies the translational work our physician-scientists are doing,” said Dr. Robert Figlin, interim director of Cedars-Sinai Cancer. “The results will lead to improved treatment and better outcomes for patients everywhere.”
This newly validated treatment not only reinforces the efficacy of enzalutamide, which is already FDA-approved, but also sets the stage for it to become a standard of care for patients facing high-risk prostate cancer.
Dr. Hyung Kim, a urologic oncologist at Cedars-Sinai, remarked on the study’s implications: “These findings highlight a treatment that prolongs survival in men with aggressive prostate cancer.”
As the medical community processes these results, patients and their families are urged to consult healthcare providers for more information on treatment options. The study was funded by Pfizer Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc., the co-developers of enzalutamide.
These urgent findings underscore a pivotal moment in cancer treatment, offering hope to many facing the dire prognosis of recurrent prostate cancer. Share this vital information to raise awareness and support for those affected.
