Dr Chris Parker, Royal Marsden Cancer Centre, London, UK, talks to Dr Karim Fizazi from Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris, France, about the interim results of the COU-AA-302 study.  This was a large, randomized, phase III study of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone vs. placebo plus prednisone in chemotherapy-naive, asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Dr Fizazi discusses the promising results of this interim analysis showing that PFS almost doubled with abiraterone plus prednisone vs. placebo plus prednisone, and the strong trend for increased OS. He also comments on the implications of these results for the use of abiraterone in these less-advanced mCRCP patients. Dr Fizazi explains the Independent Data Monitoring Committee decision to unblind the study and cross patients from placebo to abiraterone at this interim analysis. 

Dr Fizazi additionally comments on his study assessing the value of prognostic factors/markers on predicting OS in patients with bone metastases with CRPC.

This programme has been supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica (A Johnson & Johnson Company).