Palliative radiotherapy (pRT) is primarily employed for palliation of bone pain in patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).
However, evidence that pRT influences prostate-specific antigen response in patients with CRPC on systemic therapy is lacking. We describe three cases of CRPC progressing after treatment with docetaxel (n=2) and abiraterone (n=1), who responded unusually after pRT for bone pain with the development of a significant biochemical response and restoration of response to systemic therapy. The possibility of pRT influencing metastatic disease in CRPC has not been previously reported, and raises the possibility of radiation-induced modulation of anti-tumor immune response mechanisms that may play a role in the restoration of response to systemic treatment.
Written by:
Hingorani M, Dixit S, Pugazhenthi P, Hawkyard S, Robertson A, Khafagy R. Are you the author?
Department of Clinical Oncology, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull and East Yorkshire, NHS Trust, Cottingham, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU16 5JQ, UK; Department of Urology, Scarborough District General Hospital, Scarborough ON M1P 2V5, UK.
Reference: Cancer Biol Med. 2015 Mar;12(1):60-3.
doi: 10.7497/j.issn.2095-3941.2014.0025
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25859413