ASCO18: Prostate cancer survival in black men following chemotherapy may be as good, or better, as in white men
Prostate cancer rates in the USA are currently estimated to be 60% higher among black men, with black men also more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age with advanced-stage and higher-grade cancer. Despite an overall decline in the number of deaths due to prostate cancer over recent years, black men remain twice more likely to die from the disease than white men.
A new study presented at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held 1–5 June 2018 in Chicago (IL, USA) has gathered a wealth of data in order to examine these racial disparities.
In the largest analysis of its sort, researchers used data from 8820 men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who had participated in nine different Phase III clinical trials. In these trials, participants (6% of whom were black) received chemotherapy docetaxel (Taxotere®) with prednisone or a regimen containing docetaxel and prednisone combined with other treatments.
Through multivariable analysis, researchers calculated the median overall survival to be 21 months in black men and white men. Having adjusted for a number of prognostic factors, including age, PSA level and site of metastasis, researchers found that black men were 19% less likely than white men to die from any cause.
“By pooling data across clinical trials, this study provided a unique opportunity to evaluate how race might affect prostate cancer response to treatment,” summarized lead study author Susan Halabi (Duke University, NC, USA). “This study underscores the importance of increasing the participation of racial minorities in clinical trials. Every patient who participates in a clinical trial contributes to improving care, and all patients should have the opportunity to receive needed therapies.”
