Hormone Therapies Benefit Black Men More Than White Men

According to data released at the recent ASCO GU conference, African American men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have not had chemotherapy appeared to have a superior survival over their Caucasian counterparts with either abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) or enzalutamide (Xtandi) 

These conclusions came from a retrospective study that utilized Veterans Health Administration data dating from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2018, on men aged 18 years and older with prostate cancer (white men, n = 2,123; mean age, 74 years; black men, n = 787, mean age, 71 years). 

Median follow-up was 570 days for black men and 561 days for white men.

The researchers found that compared with white men, black men had a higher risk of comorbid hypertension, type 2 diabetes and liver damage or defects. 

The unadjusted analysis revealed a median estimated overall survival (OS) of 910 days for black men treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide vs. 784 days for white men who received the same treatment; with OS favoring black men. The adjusted analysis confirmed these findings.  

Reference:

McNamara M, et al. Abstract 212. Presented at: Genitourinary Cancers Symposium; Feb. 14-16, 2019; San Francisco.