Clinical Medicine Insights: Oncology

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers and is a leading cause of death. Its initial growth is dependent on androgens; most patients show an initial response to hormonal therapy but will experience disease progression when PC becomes resistant to castration. In 2004, two key randomized controlled trials demonstrated a benefit for docetaxel-based regimens in the treatment of men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Cabazitaxel (XRP6258, TXD258, and RPR116258A), a tubulin-binding taxane drug as potent as docetaxel in cell lines, was the first treatment able to prolong survival for metastatic CRPC in the post-docetaxel setting. This review describes pharmacologic parameters of this agent followed by a review of clinical trials involving cabazitaxel. Other available treatments and the place of cabazitaxel in metastatic CRPC setting are discussed.