Learn about emerging treatments for metastatic prostate cancer. We’ve got it covered, from new FDA approvals to emerging approaches in hormone therapy, radiation, surgery, bone-protective treatments, immunotherapy, and more.

  • September 9, 2020 

    What’s New in Treatment for Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer?

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    About 10% to 20% of all prostate cancers are classified as castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). CRPC occurs when prostate cancer evolves to resist standard treatment with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which blocks the production and signaling activity of hormones called androgens (such as testosterone) that fuel the cancer’s growth. Most CRPCs are diagnosed as metastatic (mCRPC), meaning they have already spread beyond the prostate;… Read more »

  • December 3, 2020 

    Olaparib Granted Positive EU Opinion for BRCA1/2+ Advanced Prostate CancerBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    A news story published by OncLive reports that the European Union’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recently approved the drug olaparib for treating patients with a subset of advanced castrate-resistant prostate cancers that have BRCA1/2 mutations.

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  • November 24, 2020 

    Two New Treatments Approved For Advanced Prostate CancerBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    A story published by the Prostate Cancer Foundation outlines two new treatment options approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this year. The two medications, rucaparib and olaparib, each target specific mutations that may be found in a patient’s tumor, and each was approved for a specific type of prostate cancer.

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  • August 15, 2020 

    NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: 2020 UpdatesBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    Article from The ASCO Post curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recently made key updates to its clinical practice guidelines. This news story provides a summary of the updates.

    Go to full news story published by The ASCO Post.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • August 7, 2020 

    FDA Approves Merck’s Keytruda, Foundation Medicine CDx for TMB-High Solid TumorsBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    Article from GenomeWeb curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the drug pembrolizumab (brand name Keytruda) for solid tumors based solely on whether they have a high tumor mutational burden—a high number of changes in the DNA of the cancer cells.

    Go to full article published by GenomeWeb.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • August 15, 2019 

    Prostate Cancer—An OverviewBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    Curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes:

    Prostate cancer is the most common potentially lethal cancer diagnosed among American men. The great majority do not die of their disease. But there are many controversies about best handling. To learn more, read this authoritative, detailed presentation from Medscape, published August 2019.

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Everyone who has cancer or who knows someone with cancer should reach out to Cancer Commons. There is no better resource.

Friend of a gastric cancer patient

Molecular tests help match patients to the personalized treatments that are most likely to work for them. Keep up with new developments in molecular testing that could help guide prostate cancer treatment, such as detection of genetic mutations and other biomarkers.

  • October 8, 2018 

    Accuracy and Precision Define Radiation Oncology

    With: Eddy Yang, MD, PhD

    A Q&A with Eddy Yang, MD, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair of Translational Sciences Department of Radiation Oncology; Deputy Director, Associate Director of Precision Oncology at the Hugh Kaul Precision Medicine Institute; Birmingham, AL; shyang@uabmc.edu Originally published December 5, 2017 Q: You are a radiation oncologist with a particular interest in cancer of the prostate. How does the molecular study of prostate, as well… Read more »

  • February 11, 2020 

    Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Case Reviewed in Tumor Board SessionBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    Article from CAP Today curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    Tumor boards are an established method of dealing with problem cancer cases. In precision oncology, they may, even must, be molecular. This is a great example of how a molecular tumor board can provide actionable insights for patients.

    Go to full article published by CAP Today.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • February 7, 2017 

    Testing for Tumor Mutations: Liquid Biopsy Versus Traditional Biopsy

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Update as of August 27, 2020: A lot has changed in the three-and-a-half years since this blog post was written. Liquid biopsies are by now widely recognized and used as a valuable diagnostic and monitoring tool. Many of the reservations and concerns described in the original post below have been addressed and largely resolved by refining the technology. The latest proof of this is… Read more »

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Some of the most promising new treatments for metastatic prostate cancer are currently being tested in patients enrolled in clinical trials. We help you stay up to date on the latest results from these studies.

  • March 7, 2019 

    Targeted Radiation Therapy Yields High Response Rates in Metastatic Prostate CancerBookmark

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Excerpt:

    “The targeted radiation therapy Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 produced high response rates among men with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to results of a single-arm, phase 2 trial scheduled for presentation at Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

    “The treatment also appeared well-tolerated among these men, whose disease had progressed after multiple standard therapies.”

    Go to full article published by Healio on Feb 14, 2019.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • October 22, 2018 

    The Link Between Apalutamide and QOL in Non-Metastatic CRPCBookmark

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Excerpt:

    “Adding apalutamide to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) does not appear to harm health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), according to new research published in Lancet Oncology.

    “Previous research has showed that men in this patient population who received apalutamide had longer metastasis-free survival and a longer time to symptomatic progression compared with those who received placebo. This new study found that adding apalutamide still preserves HRQOL. Specifically, the group mean patient-reported outcome scores over time demonstrated HRQOL was maintained from baseline (initiation of apalutamide), and it was similar over time among men receiving apalutamide versus placebo.”

    Go to full article published by Cancer Network on Oct 9, 2018.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • September 25, 2018 

    Apalutamide Maintains Health-Related QoL in Nonmetastatic CRPCBookmark

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Excerpt from OncLive:

    “Treatment with apalutamide (Erleada) was not associated with a significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with high-risk nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, according to patient-reported outcome (PRO) data from the phase III SPARTAN trial.

    “In the study overall, patients treated with the addition of apalutamide to standard hormone therapy also had an improvement in metastasis-free survival (MFS) and longer time to symptomatic progression compared with those who were treated with placebo.”

    Go to full article published by OncLive on Sep 17, 2018.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • August 22, 2018 

    Combo Tx No Help After PSA Progression in mCRPCBookmark

    Emma Shtivelman, PhD

    Excerpt from MedPage Today:

    “Adding abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) to enzalutamide (Xtandi) did not improve progression-free survival (PFS) after prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression in men on enzalutamide monotherapy for chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), researchers found.

    “In the randomized, double-blind PLATO trial, the median PFS in patients treated with enzalutamide plus abiraterone and prednisone was 5.7 months. By comparison, the PFS was 5.6 months in the control group treated with abiraterone and prednisone plus placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83; P=0.22).”

    Go to full article published by MedPage Today on July 28, 2018.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

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Now is the time to be very actively involved in your own care.

Tony Blau, MD
University of Washington

Cancer affects many aspects of life, whether you’re newly diagnosed, in the midst of treatment, or in follow-up care. Learn about ways to maintain quality of life, such as palliative care and managing side effects.

  • October 14, 2019 

    Pediatric Palliative Care: A Specialty Comes of Age

    Sarah Friebert, MD

    For a child with cancer, palliative care can provide much-needed relief from stress and symptoms—for the patient and their family alike. Palliative care is given alongside cancer treatment, and is not synonymous with “end-of-life” care. In fact, anyone with a serious illness can benefit from palliative care, no matter their long-term outlook. Because of its importance for children with cancer, we are honored to… Read more »

  • February 11, 2020 

    ‘Impressed With Impact’ of Ketamine in Cancer Palliative CareBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    Article from Medscape curated by Editor in Chief George Lundberg, MD, who notes: 

    Depression is, for obvious reasons, common in patients with advanced cancer. The old, inexpensive drug ketamine—already approved for medical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—seems rapidly effective, according to small studies.

    Go to full article published by Medscape.

    If you’re wondering whether this story applies to your own cancer case or a loved one’s, we invite you to get support from Cancer Commons.

  • October 7, 2019 

    Emphasizing Oncogeriatrics

    With: Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, MD

    A Q&A with Nicolò Matteo Luca Battisti, MD, Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom, and Chair of the Young Interest Group of the International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG); nicolo.battisti@gmail.com Q: Everyone knows that the practice of pediatric oncology is very different from adult oncology. How does the growing field of oncogeriatrics differ from usual adult oncology? A:… Read more »

  • December 3, 2018 

    Best Uses of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Patients with Cancer

    With: Val Jones, MD

    A Q&A with Val Jones, MD, Medical Director of Admissions, Saint Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, Spokane, WA Originally published February 1, 2017 Q: Your principal practice in Spokane, Washington is physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). What do you find to be the best uses of PM&R in patients with cancer at your facility? A: Rehabilitation medicine is one of the best-kept secrets in healthcare. Although the… Read more »

  • September 14, 2018 

    Huge Progress in Palliative Care

    With: Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP

    A Q&A with Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP, Director, Center to Advance Palliative Care; Professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; New York, NY; diane.meier@mssm.edu Originally published November 8, 2017 Q: You wrote in MedGenMed in 2007 that palliative care was the job of all hospitals. In October 2017 you were honored at the National Academy of Medicine for… Read more »

  • July 23, 2018 

    Cancer Pain and the Opioid Epidemic

    George Lundberg, MD

    A Q&A with Kevin Sevarino, MD, PhD, President-elect of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and Consulting Psychiatrist at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford, CT Q: Opioid abuse, addiction, and overdose are huge American problems right now. Many cancer patents experience chronic pain. What is the best way to use opioids to manage chronic pain? [Note: The views expressed below represent the opinion of the author,… Read more »

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You’re not alone. Read how other patients and caregivers navigated diagnosis, treatment, and life with cancer. We hope their stories provide insights and hope for your own cancer journey.

More patient stories

Learn more about what’s new in advanced cancer research and treatment, including screening and statistics, using artificial intelligence to improve treatment, and other new horizons in cancer care.

  • April 7, 2021 

    Rankings of Most Common and Deadly Cancer Types Will Shift Over Next Two Decades

    In the next two decades, rankings of incidence and death across cancer types will undergo important changes in the U.S., according to new research led by Lola Rahib, PhD, Director of Scientific and Clinical Affairs at Cancer Commons, as well as the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) in collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Published today in JAMA Network Open,… Read more »

  • May 30, 2021 

    Cancer Support for LGBTQIA Patients Is MissingBookmark

    George Lundberg, MD

    This piece from ASCO Connection outlines the need for and a path to improvement in cancer care for LGBTQIA patients.

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  • March 29, 2021 

    Can Really Big Data Inform Precise Decisions for Individual Patients?

    With: Matvey B. Palchuk, MD, MS, FAMIA

    New technologies are transforming cancer research. By optimizing research protocols and leveraging data more efficiently and intelligently, these tools hold the promise to improve personalized cancer care. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Matvey B. Palchuk, MD, MS, FAMIA, VP of Informatics at TriNetX, LLC, about the capabilities of his company’s platform. Curious Dr. George: Translational medicine has evolved to include personalized medicine and… Read more »

  • November 10, 2020 

    How to Learn About Cancer in a Classroom: Shaping Compassionate Doctors

    With: Marin Langlieb

    The patients and caregivers we serve here at Cancer Commons rely on their doctors to provide expert, compassionate care. Building the skills to give such care can begin early in a doctor’s education. Here, for a change of pace, our Curious Dr. George asks a future doctor about a unique experience that helped her learn how to connect with cancer patients. Marin Langlieb is… Read more »

  • September 9, 2020 

    Is Cancer the Best Way to Die?

    With: Richard Smith, CBE, FMedSci

    In 2014, the prestigious medical research journal The BMJ published a controversial piece called “Dying of cancer is the best death.” Here, our Curious Dr. George asks the author of that piece, Richard Smith, CBE, FMedSci, if and how his thoughts on death have since evolved. Dr. Smith was Editor of The BMJ from 1991 to 2004 and is currently Chair of the Lancet Commission… Read more »

  • August 21, 2020 

    The Power of Precision Medicine is Exemplified by Tempus

    With: Nike Beaubier, MDNamratha Sastry, PhD

    Tempus—a tech company & partner of Cancer Commons—empowers doctors to make data-driven decisions for their patients in real time. Learn how.

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The coronavirus pandemic presents unprecedented challenges to cancer patients. We can help you understand how COVID-19 might impact your treatment and other aspects of your cancer care.