# A randomized study of apalutamide in Chinese patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

**Authors:** Shusuan Jiang, Ye Tian, Hongqian Guo, Jianming Guo, Haiying Dong, Hong Luo, Wei Xue, Tao Xu, Lei Li, Mingxing Qiu, Liping Xie, Angela Lopez-Gitlitz, Sharon McCarthy, Yanmei Liu, Haocheng Ma, Hongchuan Liang, Yanhui Li, Na Chen, Dingwei Ye

PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113166 · 2025-07-18

## TL;DR

This study shows that apalutamide combined with hormone therapy is effective and safe for Chinese patients with a specific type of prostate cancer.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the efficacy and safety of apalutamide in Chinese patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

## Key findings

- Apalutamide reduced the risk of PSA progression by 76.7% compared to placebo.
- The median metastasis-free survival was 36.8 months with apalutamide.
- The safety profile was consistent with existing data, with manageable side effects.

## Abstract

This post-approval commitment study addressed the limited data on the safety and efficacy of apalutamide in Chinese patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (NM-CRPC). Utilizing a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial with pre-planned crossover design, 75 patients were randomized (2:1) to receive apalutamide 240 mg daily or placebo while continuing androgen deprivation therapy. Apalutamide significantly reduced the risk of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression by 76.7% compared with placebo (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.233, p = 0.0052), with confirmed PSA response rate of 92.0% versus 12.0%. The median metastasis-free survival with apalutamide was 36.8 months, while the median overall survival was not reached. Grade 3 and 4 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 43.1% and 4.2% of patients, respectively, with hypertension, pneumonia, and rash being the most frequently reported, and the safety profile was consistent with existing data on apalutamide. Overall, these findings indicate that apalutamide is both efficacious and safe for Chinese patients, providing a valuable treatment option for high-risk NM-CRPC.

•Apalutamide+ADT reduces the risk of PSA progression in Chinese patients with NM-CRPC•The combination shows consistent long-term benefit in Chinese patients with NM-CRPC•The combination therapy has a tolerable safety profile in Chinese patients

Apalutamide+ADT reduces the risk of PSA progression in Chinese patients with NM-CRPC

The combination shows consistent long-term benefit in Chinese patients with NM-CRPC

The combination therapy has a tolerable safety profile in Chinese patients

Oncology; Clinical medicine; Therapeutics

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** apalutamide (PubChem CID 24872560)
- **Diseases:** prostate cancer (MONDO:0005159), pneumonia (MONDO:0005249), rash (MONDO:0006547)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** KLK3 (kallikrein related peptidase 3) [NCBI Gene 354] {aka APS, KLK2A1, PSA, hK3}
- **Diseases:** rash (MESH:D005076), NM-CRPC (MESH:D064129), metastasis (MESH:D009362), pneumonia (MESH:D011014), hypertension (MESH:D006973)
- **Chemicals:** Apalutamide (MESH:C572045)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12355417/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12355417