The Latest Research on mHSPC

A 65-year-old man presents with skeletal pain. His PSA is 101 ng per mL, computed tomography (CT) reveals pelvic lymphadenopathy, a 99mTc bone scan shows extensive bone metastases, and prostate biopsy cores are interpreted as Gleason score 9 with intraductal features. The patient starts long-term androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) and completes five cycles of docetaxel. His pain resolves. His PSA declines but remains persistently elevated at 2.6 ng per mL, so the decision is made to add enzalutamide, a next-generation androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy, to ADT.

Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) has become increasingly prevalent in the United States. Between 2009 and 2020, experts have projected a nearly 17% increase in the number of newly diagnosed mHSPC cases and a more than 18% increase in cases of mHSPC occurring after failure of local (curative-intent) treatment.¹ This increase is likely multifactorial, reflecting changes in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening practices, the increased use of more sensitive imaging modalities, and other factors.^{2, 3}

Imaging in prostate cancer (PC) remains a controversial topic that can be challenging to navigate. In this article, I focus on some of the best tools in our current armamentarium: multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for local prostate cancer (PC) and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) for advanced disease. In research settings, these modalities often overlap, but here I take a more practical approach by focusing on the use of PET/CT for the detection of metastatic disease.