Treatment of High-Risk Prostate Cancer Guided by Novel Diagnostic Radio- and Molecular Tracers

Launched by CANCER RESEARCH ANTWERP · Feb 26, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The THUNDER study is a clinical trial aimed at improving treatment for men with high-risk prostate cancer, which is cancer that is more likely to spread. Researchers are looking at new diagnostic tools, like special imaging scans and genetic tests, to better understand each patient’s cancer and make more personalized treatment decisions. This study has two parts: one part will test whether intensifying treatment based on these new tests can help delay the spread of cancer, while another part will see if reducing treatment can improve quality of life for patients whose tests show a lower risk.

To be eligible for this study, men must have confirmed prostate cancer with certain high-risk features, such as a high PSA level or specific tumor characteristics. They should also be willing to undergo new imaging tests and genetic testing as part of the study. Participants can expect to be monitored for up to two years, with regular check-ups to ensure the treatment is working safely. It’s important to know that this trial is currently recruiting participants from various centers across Europe, and it aims to help better understand how to treat high-risk prostate cancer more effectively.

Gender

MALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Histopathology-proven PCa
• • 2. High-risk locally advanced disease is defined as any of the following factors: PSA \> 20 ng/mL OR T-stage 3 or 4 OR Gleason score 8-10 OR cN1.
• • Note: documentation of the clinical T-stage may be obtained from any clinical assessment acceptable for clinical T staging including physical exam (DRE), transrectal ultrasound, CT or MRI. Documentation for the N1 stage can be defined on CT or MRI.
• • 3. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status grade of 0 or 1.
• • 4. Willingness to undergo a PSMA PET/ CT with or without contrast.
• • 1. Subjects who are PSMA PET/ CT positive for at least one regional or distant (extra-pelvic) lesion at screening (PSMA PET scans will be assessed as described in the study imaging manual), will be eligible to be randomized to either arm of the Phase 3 study. A lesion is considered positive if it has a E-PMSA score of 4 or 5.
• • 2. Pending confirmation of their Decipher score, subjects who are PSMA PET/ CTnegative for regional or distant lesions at screening (PSMA PET scans will be assessed as described in the study imaging manual), will be eligible for inclusion in either the Phase 3 study (if a high \[\> 0.6\] Decipher score is confirmed) or the non-randomized Phase 2 study (if a low/ intermediate \[≤ 0.6\] Decipher score is confirmed).
• • 5. Willingness to have their primary tumor sequenced for determination of Decipher score
• • 1. Subjects who have a negative PSMA PET/ CT and a tumor with a low/ intermediate Decipher score (≤ 0.6) will be eligible to enter the non-randomized Phase 2 study.
• • 2. Subjects who have a negative PSMA PET/ CT and a tumor with a high Decipher score (\> 0.6) will be eligible to be randomized to either arm of the Phase 3 study.
• • 3. In subjects with positive PSMA PET/ CT, the Decipher score will not determine the treatment allocation.
• • 6. Willingness to undergo SOC RT and long-term ADT (treatment with darolutamide and/ or LHRHA)
• • 7. Subject is able and willing to provide written informed consent, which includes compliance with and ability to undergo all study procedures and attend the scheduled follow-up visit/s per protocol.
• • 8. Subject must be over 18 years of age.
• • 9. Subject able to swallow whole study drug tablets.
• • 10. To avoid risk of drug exposure through the ejaculate (even men with vasectomies), subjects must use a condom during sexual activity while on study drug and for 3 months after the last administration of study treatment. Donation of sperm is not allowed during the treatment phase and for 3 months after the last administration of study treatment.
• 11. Adequate organ function determined by the following local laboratory values:
• • 1. Adequate bone marrow function: Hemoglobin ≥ 100 g/L, white cell count (WCC) ≥ 4.0 x 109/L, absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 x 109/L and platelets \> 100 x 109/L
• • 2. Adequate renal function: calculated creatinine clearance \> 30 mL/min (Cockroft-Gault)
• • 3. Adequate liver function: ALT \< 2 x upper limit of normal (ULN) and total bilirubin \< 1.5 x ULN, (or if total bilirubin is between 1.5 to 2 x ULN, they must have a normal conjugated bilirubin)
• • 4. Testosterone levels \> 50 ng/dL
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Definitive radiologic evidence of metastatic disease outside of the pelvic nodes (M1a, M1b or M1c) on conventional imaging (i.e., bone scan, CT scan, MRI)
• • 2. PCa with predominant non-adenocarcinoma features (sarcomatoid or spindle or neuroendocrine small cell or squamous cell components or other non-adenocarcinoma)
• • 3. Prior pelvic radiotherapy
• • 4. Contraindications for pelvic radiotherapy
• • 5. Contraindications for ADT (treatment with darolutamide and/ or LHRHA)
• • 6. Contraindications or known allergy to PSMA PET/ CT tracers.
• • 7. Prior local therapy for PCa (e.g., radical prostatectomy, high-intensity focused ultrasound \[HIFU\], cryotherapy). Subjects with previous transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or Millin prostatectomy are eligible for participation
• • 8. Prior systemic therapy for PCa, except for patients with a positive PSMA PET/ CT staging with ADT started no more than 4 weeks prior to randomization.
• • 9. Current use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitor Note: if the alpha reductase inhibitor is stopped ≥ 2 weeks prior to enrollment, the subject is eligible.
• • 10. Current chronic use of opioid analgesics, for ≥3 weeks for oral or ≥7 days for non-oral formulations
• • 11. History of seizure or any condition that may predispose to seizure (including, but not limited to prior stroke, transient ischemic attack or loss of consciousness within ≤1 year prior to enrollment; brain arteriovenous malformation; or intracranial masses such as schwannomas and meningiomas that are causing edema or mass effect)
• • 12. Any condition for which, in the opinion of the Investigator, participation would not be in the best interest of the subject
• • 13. Major surgery within 21 days prior to enrollment.
• 14. History of:
• • 1. Loss of consciousness or transient ischemic attack or stroke within 6 months prior to enrollment, or
• • 2. Significant cardiovascular disease within 6 months prior to enrollment: including myocardial infarction, unstable angina, congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association \[NYHA\] classification Grade 2 or greater), ongoing arrhythmias of Grade \> 2 (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[NCI-CTCAE\] v5.0), thromboembolic events (e.g., deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism), coronary artery bypass graft. Chronic stable atrial fibrillation on stable anticoagulant therapy is allowed.
• • 15. Known GI disease or GI procedure that could interfere with the oral absorption or tolerance of darolutamide, including difficulty swallowing tablets
• • 16. History of another malignancy within 5 years prior to enrollment except for those malignancies treated with curative intent with a predicted risk of relapse of less than 10% including but not limited to non-melanoma carcinoma of the skin; or adequately treated, non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (i.e., Tis, Ta and low grade T1 tumors). All such cases with a history of malignancy within the last 5 years are to be discussed with study team before enrollment. Melanoma in-situ and other adequately treated in-situ neoplasms are not considered malignancies for the purposes of eligibility assessment
• • 17. Concurrent illness, including severe infection that might jeopardize the ability of the subject to undergo the procedures outlined in this protocol with reasonable safety (human immunodeficiency virus \[HIV\] infection is not an exclusion criterion if it is controlled with anti-retroviral drugs that are unaffected by concomitant darolutamide)
• • 18. Subjects who are sexually active with women of childbearing potential and not willing/able to use medically acceptable and highly effective forms of contraception during study treatment and for at least 3 months after the last administration of study treatment. Contraception must include: Additional birth control with low failure rate (less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly, e.g., combined (estrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, intravaginal, transdermal), progestogen only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, injectable, implantable), intrauterine device (IUD), intrauterine hormone releasing system (IUS), bilateral tubal occlusion, vasectomized partner, true sexual abstinence.