Improved Outcomes with Enzalutamide in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer

N Engl J Med. 2023 Oct 19;389(16):1453-1465. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2303974.

Abstract

Background: Patients with prostate cancer who have high-risk biochemical recurrence have an increased risk of progression. The efficacy and safety of enzalutamide plus androgen-deprivation therapy and enzalutamide monotherapy, as compared with androgen-deprivation therapy alone, are unknown.

Methods: In this phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients with prostate cancer who had high-risk biochemical recurrence with a prostate-specific antigen doubling time of 9 months or less. Patients were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1 ratio, to receive enzalutamide (160 mg) daily plus leuprolide every 12 weeks (combination group), placebo plus leuprolide (leuprolide-alone group), or enzalutamide monotherapy (monotherapy group). The primary end point was metastasis-free survival, as assessed by blinded independent central review, in the combination group as compared with the leuprolide-alone group. A key secondary end point was metastasis-free survival in the monotherapy group as compared with the leuprolide-alone group. Other secondary end points were patient-reported outcomes and safety.

Results: A total of 1068 patients underwent randomization: 355 were assigned to the combination group, 358 to the leuprolide-alone group, and 355 to the monotherapy group. The patients were followed for a median of 60.7 months. At 5 years, metastasis-free survival was 87.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 83.0 to 90.6) in the combination group, 71.4% (95% CI, 65.7 to 76.3) in the leuprolide-alone group, and 80.0% (95% CI, 75.0 to 84.1) in the monotherapy group. With respect to metastasis-free survival, enzalutamide plus leuprolide was superior to leuprolide alone (hazard ratio for metastasis or death, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.61; P<0.001); enzalutamide monotherapy was also superior to leuprolide alone (hazard ratio for metastasis or death, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.87; P = 0.005). No new safety signals were observed, with no substantial between-group differences in quality-of-life measures.

Conclusions: In patients with prostate cancer with high-risk biochemical recurrence, enzalutamide plus leuprolide was superior to leuprolide alone with respect to metastasis-free survival; enzalutamide monotherapy was also superior to leuprolide alone. The safety profile of enzalutamide was consistent with that shown in previous clinical studies, with no apparent detrimental effect on quality of life. (Funded by Pfizer and Astellas Pharma; EMBARK ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02319837.).

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Antagonists* / adverse effects
  • Androgen Antagonists* / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Benzamides
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Leuprolide* / adverse effects
  • Leuprolide* / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local* / blood
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local* / drug therapy
  • Nitriles / adverse effects
  • Nitriles / therapeutic use
  • Phenylthiohydantoin
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / blood
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Quality of Life

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • Leuprolide
  • Nitriles
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • enzalutamide
  • Benzamides
  • Phenylthiohydantoin

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02319837