Advancing therapies in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer world wide and is the most frequently detected cancer in the European Union in men over 50 years of age. Androgen deprivation therapy remains the corner stone of treatment for recurrent or metastatic disease. Unfortunately, nearly all patients will develop resistance to androgen blockade leading to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Over the last 10 years, new treatment shaved ramatically improved overall survival of men with mCRPC. Current therapies are basedon AR-axis inhibitors and taxane-based chemotherapies, aswell as radiopharmaceuticals and Sipuleucel T. Areas covered: The authors provide a review of the current fi eld of systemic therapy in metastatic CRPC. This is followed by an in-depth analysis of recent developments in treatment, and the biological rationale behind these therapies. Expert opinion: Since several trials with docetaxel or novel hormonal agents showed improvement in overall survival in metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer, aswell as in non-metastatic castrationresistant patients, it is expected that a growing subgroup of patients will be expose dearlierto chemotherapy and to AR targeted agents. It becomes then fundamental to find novel strategies to over come drug resistance and further improve survival.