The Effect of Corticosteroids on Prostate Cancer Outcome Following Treatment with Enzalutamide: A Multivariate Analysis of the Phase III AFFIRM Trial

Purpose: The clinical impact of concurrent corticosteroid use (CCU) on enzalutamide-treated patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is unknown. We investigated the association of CCU with overall survival (OS), radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), and time to prostate-specific antigen progression (TTPP) in post-chemotherapy, enzalutamide-treated patients with mCRPC. Patients and Methods: Post hoc analysis of AFFIRM (NCT00974311) with patients (n = 1,199) randomized 2:1 to enzalutamide 160 mg/day or placebo. Treatment group, CCU, and known prognostic factors were evaluated for impact on OS, rPFS, and TTPP using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. CCU was defined as baseline (use started at baseline) or on-study (baseline plus use that was started during the trial). Results: Enzalutamide significantly improved OS, rPFS, and TTPP independent of baseline CCU but was associated with inferior clinical outcomes when compared with no baseline CCU, including a shorter OS [10.8 months vs. not reached (NR); HR for use vs. no use, 2.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.79-2.54], rPFS (5.2 months vs. 8.0 months; HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.29-1.72], and TTPP (4.6 months vs. 5.7 months; HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.25-1.81). These findings held in a multivariate analysis adjusting for baseline prognostic factors wherein baseline CCU was independently associated with decreased OS (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.43-2.04; P < 0.0001) and rPFS (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.11-1.48; P = 0.0007). Conclusions: Patients with mCRPC benefited from enzalutamide treatment independent of CCU, but CCU was associated with worse baseline prognostic factors and outcomes.

Automated summary

This study found that concurrent corticosteroid use (CCU) in enzalutamide-treated patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) was associated with worse clinical outcomes. However, enzalutamide treatment still improved overall survival, radiographic progression-free survival, and time to prostate-specific antigen progression in these patients.