SLU Researcher Reports Improvements in Survival Rates in Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer
ST. LOUIS — Research from Saint Louis University School of Medicine finds improvements in survival in both veterans and men across the country over the last 20 years in metastatic prostate cancer, which correlates with new hormonal treatments.
Martin Schoen, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and a member of the Saint Louis University AHEAD Institute, quantified trends in overall survival among men newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and has revealed his findings in a recent research letter in JAMA Network Open.
Martin Schoen, M.D., assistant professor of medicine and a member of the Saint Louis University AHEAD Institute. Photo by Sarah Conroy.
Metastatic prostate cancer accounts for 5–10% of all prostate cancer diagnoses, but it is responsible for nearly 50% of prostate cancer-related deaths. Since 2015, the prognosis of metastatic prostate cancer has improved with the introduction of new hormonal treatment and chemotherapy combined with androgen deprivation therapy in the first-line setting.
“In the last 10 years, several new therapies have been created that have made a dramatic impact in clinical trials,” said Schoen, lead author of the study. “We wanted to study this in the general population to assess whether these breakthroughs were making its way to them.”
The study reviewed two national datasets to identify the health outcomes of men with prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers in veterans. The cross-sectional retrospective study included male patients first diagnosed with prostate cancer between the years 2000-2019. Schoen and his team analyzed datasets of 58,859 men from SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) and 14,904 men from the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR).
The SEER Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) collects and publishes cancer incidence and survival data from population-based cancer registries covering about 48% of the U.S. population. The VACCR collects cancer diagnosis and treatment information from the 132 VA Medical Centers that treat veterans with cancer.
The study focused on the survival of men in different age groups. Schoen and the research team found that the median overall survival in patients younger than 70 significantly improved in the U.S. population from 2000 to 2019. Still, there was little change in men over 70 during the same period.
The study also found that overall survival rates were similar in SEER and VHA. Schoen, a Navy veteran who works as a hematologist/oncologist at St. Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, said he was pleased the data showed that in prostate cancer care, veteran care is as good or better than the treatment men receive in the general community.
The study notes that while new treatments are available and increased overall survival has been observed in clinical trials, researchers cannot assume these developments improve disease management in clinical practice. The overall survival of men with metastatic prostate cancer is lower in clinical practice than in clinical trials, as patients are typically older with more health conditions.
Researchers say further study is needed as the study is limited by lack of data on men with other medical problems, such as heart disease or diabetes.
This study was supported by the Prostate Cancer Foundation Igor Tulchinsky, Robert Taubman Sandler – PCF Valor Young Investigator Award, and Department of Defense grant No. W81XWH-22-1-0602.
Additional authors include Bruce Montgomery, M.D., VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington School of Medicine; Lukas Owens, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center; Saira Khan, Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine; Kristen Sanfilippo, M.D., Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine; and Ruth B. Etzioni, Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and University of Washington School of Medicine.
Latest Newslink
- SLU/YouGov Poll: Kansas City Chiefs Are Missouri's Favorite NFL TeamThe Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs dominate their home turf in Missouri as voters in the state overwhelming chose the team as their favorite NFL franchise.
- Barrier Breaker: SLU’s Sarah Adam Wins Silver at 2024 Paralympic Games in ParisTeam USA's Paralympic wheelchair rugby team kept their medal streak alive by winning the silver medal on Monday in Paris. Japan claimed gold following the 48-41 win over Team USA. First-time Paralympian Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy at Saint Louis University, played a key role for Team USA.
- SLU/YouGov Poll: Majorities of Missouri Voters Support Abortion Constitutional Amendment and Prohibiting Cell Phone Access in High SchoolsThe August 2024 SLU/YouGov Poll surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters about their opinions regarding the 2024 election, political issues facing the state and country, Missouri education issues, and matters considered by the Missouri state government.
- Go Crazy Folks: The St. Louis Cardinals Are Missouri’s Favorite Baseball TeamIn August 2024, the SLU/YouGov Poll interviewed 900 likely Missouri voters, asking them to name their favorite Major League Baseball team. The poll found that 41% of Missourians polled say the St. Louis Cardinals are their favorite team. The Kansas City Royals were the favorite team of 20% of those polled.
- Innovative Software Lab at Saint Louis University Receives Second Round of Funding from Alfred P. Sloan FoundationOpen Source with SLU (OSS), a pioneering software engineering lab at Saint Louis University, has received a $654,610 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to continue advancing open scholarship and developing open-source software.
- How to Watch: SLU's Sarah Adam Competes in Paralympic Wheelchair RugbyFeaturing 22 sports and 4,400 athletes from around the world, the Paris Paralympics will see Paralympians battling for gold in individual and team events, beginning on Aug. 28 and lasting through Sept. 8. Sarah Adam, OTD, assistant professor of occupational science and occupational therapy, is among six athletes from the St. Louis region who will represent the area on Team USA.