BACKGROUND: In a phase III trial in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and bone metastases, denosumab was superior to zoledronic acid in reducing skeletal-related events (SREs; radiation to bone, pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, or spinal cord compression).
This study reassessed the efficacy of denosumab using symptomatic skeletal events (SSEs) as a prespecified exploratory end point.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with CRPC, no previous bisphosphonate exposure, and radiographic evidence of bone metastasis were randomized to subcutaneous denosumab 120 mg plus i.v. placebo every 4 weeks (Q4W), or i.v. zoledronic acid 4 mg plus subcutaneous placebo Q4W during the blinded treatment phase. SSEs were defined as radiation to bone, symptomatic pathologic fracture, surgery to bone, or symptomatic spinal cord compression. The relationship between SSE or SRE and time to moderate/severe pain was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form.
RESULTS: Treatment with denosumab significantly reduced the risk of developing first SSE (HR, 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-0.93; P = 0.005) and first and subsequent SSEs (rate ratio, 0.78; 95% CI 0.65-0.92; P = 0.004) compared with zoledronic acid. The treatment differences in the number of patients with SSEs or SREs were similar (n = 48 and n = 45, respectively). Among patients with no/mild pain at baseline, both SSEs and SREs were associated with moderate/severe pain development (P < 0.0001). Fewer patients had skeletal complications, particularly fractures, when defined as SSE versus SRE.
CONCLUSION: In patients with CRPC and bone metastases, denosumab reduced the risk of skeletal complications versus zoledronic acid regardless of whether the end point was defined as SSE or SRE.
Written by:
Smith MR, Coleman RE, Klotz L, Pittman K, Milecki P, Ng S, Chi KN, Balakumaran A, Wei R, Wang H, Braun A, Fizazi K. Are you the author?
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, USA; Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, Sheffield Cancer Research Centre, Sheffield, UK; Division of Urology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada; Department of Medical Oncology, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woodville, Australia; Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan Department of Radiotherapy, Wielkopolskie Centrum Onkologii, Poznan, Poland; St John of God Hospital, Subiaco, Australia; Department of Medical Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Hematology/Oncology; Global Biostatistical Science, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, USA; Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, University of Paris Sud, Paris, France.
Reference: Ann Oncol. 2015 Feb;26(2):368-74.
doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu519
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25425475