A phase 3 clinical trial published by the New England Journal of Medicine has found that combining talazoparib with enzalutamide improves radiographic progression-free survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer, especially those with specific genetic changes affecting DNA repair.
The New England Journal of Medicine posted findings from the TALAPRO-3 trial, a phase 3 study examining whether adding talazoparib — a type of drug that blocks a protein cancer cells use to repair their DNA — to enzalutamide, a hormone therapy already used in prostate cancer treatment, could delay cancer progression in men whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic prostate cancer).
The trial found the combination worked chiefly well in patients who carry alterations in genes involved in a DNA-repair process called homologous recombination repair (HRR). These genetic changes make cancer cells less able to fix DNA damage, which is why drugs like talazoparib — known as PARP inhibitors — can be especially effective in this group.
The results are summarised in a New England Journal of Medicine Quick Take, a short-form format the journal uses to present key findings from research papers.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, according to the NHS. Metastatic prostate cancer — where the disease has spread beyond the prostate gland — is harder to treat, and finding combinations that extend survival remains an active area of research.
The TALAPRO-3 findings add to a growing body of evidence around PARP inhibitors in prostate cancer, though how quickly treatments like this reach patients in England depends on assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England commissioning decisions.
Men with prostate cancer, or those concerned about symptoms, should speak to their GP in the first instance. NHS 111 is available around the clock for general health queries.
Source: @NEJM