“This is one of the first, if not the first, study to show that a treatment can make prostate cancer in the prostate gland itself disappear in a reproducible number of patients, and it is an exciting step forward,” said Nicholas Vogelzang, MD, moderator of the pre–ASCO Annual Meeting press conference where the results of the neoadjuvant abiraterone study by Dr. Taplin and colleagues were first released. Dr. Vogelzang is Chair of ASCO’s Communications Committee, and Chair of Genitourinary Oncology for US Oncology.

Neoadjuvant therapy is now standard for the treatment of other cancers, including breast, rectal, and bladder cancer, Dr. Vogelzang continued. “In breast cancer, a complete disappearance in primary disease leads to better long-term survival. We have seen this in bladder cancer, where complete response to chemotherapy prior to surgery improves long-term survival.”

The study by Taplin and colleagues “is the first time we have seen this degree of complete response in prostate cancer with neoadjuvant therapy,” Dr. Vogelzang concluded. ■

Disclosure: Dr. Vogelzang reported no potential conflicts of interest.