Prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing disease. The five-year survival rate is 99% – as long as it’s found before it spreads to other areas of the body.
After prostate cancer has spread (or metastasized), the five-year survival rate drops to 36%. But a new treatment may help change this – and it’s on the fast-track for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The drug, Biontech’s BNT324/DB-1311, is an antibody drug conjugate. This means it’s an immunotherapy, or a type of treatment that uses your own immune system to attack cancer cells. Chemotherapy is also added - or conjugated - to the treatment.
“A protein called B7-H3 is highly expressed in those with advanced prostate cancer,” says Sheela Tejwani, M.D., a medical oncologist at Henry Ford Health. “This drug targets B7-H3 and kills it with chemotherapy. While chemotherapy alone kills both cancer cells and healthy cells, this drug targets only cancer cells – so it has lessened side effects than standard chemotherapy.”
When prostate cancer first becomes advanced, a hormone therapy called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is used to lower androgen hormone levels, hopefully preventing prostate cancer from growing. But when ADT stops working, it’s called castrate-resistant prostate cancer. After BNT324/DB-1311 gains FDA approval for advanced prostate cancer, it will be used to treat those with metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer that has progressed even after using standard-of-care treatments.
Symptoms Of Prostate Cancer & Screening Guidelines
Because prostate cancer is so treatable when found early, it’s important to keep up with your regular prostate cancer screenings. This consists of a prostate-specific antigen blood test (PSA) and a digital rectal examination (DRE). A prostate MRI may also be used, which may increase detection of aggressive cancers. If results come back abnormal, further testing is done with a prostate biopsy.
Your genetics and family history of cancer determine how often you get prostate cancer screenings – and starting at what age – so Dr. Tejwani urges people to talk to their family.
“African American men are more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than white men, for example, so it’s important to know your personal risk level and discuss it with your primary care doctor,” says Dr. Tejwani. “If you are at higher risk, your doctor will recommend starting prostate cancer screening earlier than age 50, which is the recommended age for those with average risk of prostate cancer. The key here is regularly seeing your primary care physician – they’ll help you determine when to start all of your routine cancer screenings.”
And don’t ignore symptoms of prostate cancer. Unlike other cancers, symptoms of prostate cancer can develop when it’s still in an early, treatable stage.
“The most common symptoms include blood in your urine, getting up too many times at night to urinate, being unable to fully empty your bladder, having a weak stream,” says Dr. Tejwani. “Symptoms can be so subtle that some people think they’ll go away. But if symptoms persist, see your primary care doctor and they’ll refer you to a urologist.”
Reviewed by Sheela Tejwani, M.D., a medical oncologist who specializes in prostate, testicular, penile, bladder and bone and musculoskeletal cancers. Dr. Tejwani sees patients at Henry Ford Cancer – Detroit and Henry Ford Medical Center - Columbus.
