The eligibility requirements and baseline Selleckchem Compound Library characteristics for these trials

were similar for the most part, albeit there were differences regarding trial population access to approved therapies which may have affected some of the efficacy data. Nevertheless, choosing the order of therapy will largely relate to presumed safety and tolerability profiles of the specific agents. With progression after docetaxel, either oral abiraterone or enzalutamide is most likely an optimal choice based on published adverse event profiles to date. Docetaxel and cabazitaxel chemotherapeutics can cause peripheral neuropathy and myelosuppression. Although no comparative data exist, one might anticipate less fatigue and cytopenias, and no peripheral neuropathies with abiraterone or enzalutamide. Choosing between abiraterone and enzalutamide is unclear, although the use and monitoring of glucocorticoids (eg patients with diabetes or psychiatric issues) may be a

consideration for abiraterone, whereas enzalutamide may be contraindicated in patients with neurological impairment or a history of seizure.9 and 10 A retrospective analysis of the AFFIRM (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-up Investigation of Rhythm Management) trial revealed that corticosteroid use was an independent poor prognostic factor in patients treated with enzalutamide, although this was a retrospective analysis, and disease burden and other comorbidities may have also been influential in that analysis.11 http://www.selleckchem.com/screening/stem-cell-compound-library.html Of note, there have been anecdotal reports of patients being treated with abiraterone

without steroids (or only a 5 mg daily dose, an accrued phase II trial of the 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase M0 CRPC population), although current labeling for abiraterone requires glucocorticoid administration (5 mg prednisone twice daily). Disease progression after abiraterone or enzalutamide suggests cabazitaxel as a next logical choice or a possible rechallenge with docetaxel, followed by the other novel hormonal therapy (ie enzalutamide if abiraterone was used previously and vice versa if enzalutamide was used first). Also, if disease progression is primarily in the bones, Ra-223 is an excellent option, given its well tolerated profile, and it may be well suited for combination therapy with either abiraterone or enzalutamide but those combinatorial data are pending. In time, most patients should receive abiraterone acetate before docetaxel and for disease progression after docetaxel, the choice will be cabazitaxel, enzalutamide or Ra-223, assuming they have not received the later two previously. The presumed positive efficacy results of the PREVAIL pre-chemotherapy trial for enzalutamide may be published sometime this year. Thus, the same aforementioned rationale for ordering therapies after docetaxel can be implemented again, with the only difference being omission of abiraterone. Of note, the trials demonstrating the effectiveness of these agents did not include patients pretreated with abiraterone.