Intensive hormone-blocking before prostate surgery and why some cancers resist it
Efficacy and Mechanisms of Resistance to Neoadjuvant Intensive Androgen Signaling Inhibition
This project gives stronger hormone-blocking medicines before prostate removal for men with high-risk localized prostate cancer to try to shrink tumors and lower the chance the cancer comes back.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182639 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have high-risk localized prostate cancer, the plan is to receive six months of intensive hormone-blocking therapy (leuprolide plus abiraterone and/or enzalutamide or apalutamide) before your scheduled prostatectomy. Doctors will examine the removed prostate to see how much tumor remains and look for signs of minimal residual disease or complete response. Blood and tumor samples will be studied to find molecular changes that explain why some cancers resist the treatment. The team will follow patients over time to compare recurrence and long-term outcomes after this pre-surgery approach.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with localized high-risk prostate cancer who are candidates for radical prostatectomy and able to receive intensive androgen-signaling blockade may be eligible.
Not a fit: Patients with low-risk disease, already metastatic prostate cancer, those who cannot tolerate intensive hormonal therapy, or those unwilling to delay surgery may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase the chance of complete response at surgery and reduce the risk of cancer returning after treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier neoadjuvant trials with standard hormone therapy showed low complete-response rates, while recent phase 2 trials of more intensive combinations have shown improved tumor responses but long-term benefits remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taplin, Mary-Ellen — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Taplin, Mary-Ellen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.