Abiraterone, a new treatment for advanced prostate cancer
Scientists at the Everyman Centre have been involved in the development of a groundbreaking new prostate cancer drug, called abiraterone. Abiraterone was developed at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in the 1990s. It has gone through a Phase I/II trial and has produced very promising results. About two-thirds of the men on the trial have experienced a significant fall in their Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level and a significant reduction of the cancer as shown on their scans. Many of these men had undergone all other available treatments before abiraterone.
Scientists have described abiraterone as one of the most significant advancements in prostate cancer research in the past 60 years, not only due to its benefit to patients, but because it has changed the research world’s understanding of how aggressive prostate cancer works.
Abiraterone works by blocking the hormones which drive the cancer. It is unique because it not only blocks the hormone produced by the prostate itself, but also the hormone produced by tumours which have spread to other parts of the body. A Phase III trial is currently underway at more than 150 hospitals throughout the world. Everyman scientists, led by Dr de Bono at the ICR, hope to report those results next year. Abiraterone is also being trialed in breast cancer patients.
It is hoped that abiraterone will be available as a general treatment by 2011.
For more information about prostate clinical trials involving abiraterone, please visit clincialtrials.gov.
