Dr. Freedland on the Importance of Conducting Real-World Analyses in Prostate Cancer

Stephen J. Freedland, MD, Warschaw Robertson Law Families Chair in Prostate Cancer, director, Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle, co-director, Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, associate director, Faculty Development Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, and professor of surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, discusses the importance of conducting real-world analyses in prostate cancer.

The induction process for clinical trials is crucial. For example, in the phase III PREVAIL trial patients with prostate cancer were treated with either enzalutamide (Xtandi) or placebo and tended to be healthier and were white, says Freedland. At least 95% of patients who go on these clinical trials are white. It is a recognized need that physicians must understand how these agents work in other patient populations. At the 2019 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, data presented showed that both abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) and enzalutamide may work better in African-American men, Freedland adds.

It is crucial to understand how these drugs will work in diverse patient populations and the real-world setting, such as patients who do not always remember to take their pills and have other comorbidities, concludes Freedland.