Pharmacotherapeutic management of metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer in the elderly: focus on non-chemotherapy agents

Drugs Aging. 2014 Dec;31(12):873-82. doi: 10.1007/s40266-014-0224-y.

Abstract

In the past 4 years, five new agents have been approved for metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. Four of them are non-chemotherapeutic and generally well tolerated. However, each has toxicities that can negatively impact patients, particularly the elderly. This review covers the epidemiology of prostate cancer in elderly men. It discusses the efficacy data for sipuleucel-T, abiraterone in chemotherapy-naïve patients, enzalutamide in chemotherapy-naïve patients and radium-223 and presents any additional studies done for those over 75 years of age. Disease burden, such as the presence or absence of visceral disease, and comorbid conditions weigh into the selection of therapy and are discussed here. Drug-drug interactions between these agents and other drugs commonly used in the elderly population are also considered. The emerging therapies tasquinimod and ipilimumab are reviewed. With the arrival of so many agents for prostate cancer, selection of the most appropriate agent can be perplexing, particularly because these agents were tested against placebo, not one another. Furthermore, the study population differs significantly from those seen in clinical practice. This review addresses these issues.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Androstenes / adverse effects
  • Androstenes / therapeutic use
  • Benzamides
  • Health Services for the Aged
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / pathology
  • Nitriles
  • Phenylthiohydantoin / adverse effects
  • Phenylthiohydantoin / analogs & derivatives
  • Phenylthiohydantoin / therapeutic use
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / pathology
  • Radioisotopes / adverse effects
  • Radioisotopes / therapeutic use
  • Radium / adverse effects
  • Radium / therapeutic use
  • Tissue Extracts / adverse effects
  • Tissue Extracts / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Androstenes
  • Benzamides
  • Nitriles
  • Radioisotopes
  • Tissue Extracts
  • Phenylthiohydantoin
  • sipuleucel-T
  • enzalutamide
  • abiraterone
  • radium Ra 223 dichloride
  • Radium