STAT+: For prostate cancer patients set on surgery, new hormone regimen may improve outcomes, study finds

STAT PlusBiotech For prostate cancer patients set on surgery, new hormone regimen may improve outcomes, study finds Protocol could become a third option for high risk, early stage cases Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Angus ChenMay 31, 2026 Cancer Reporter Angus Chen[email protected]Angus reports on the basic research, clinical science, and drug development that may transform survival and quality of life for patients, as well as developments affecting the cancer community. You can reach Angus on Signal at angus.08. CHICAGO — Patients with high risk prostate cancer that hasn’t spread typically have two standard treatment paths before them.

Remove the prostate surgically, or do a combination of radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Now, with the results of a new phase 3 clinical trial, some oncologists believe a third option may soon be laid on the table: surgery with hormone therapy both before and after the operation. The study, called the PROTEUS trial, found that combining two hormone therapies both before and after surgery was superior to just one hormone therapy before and after surgery in high risk, early stage prostate cases.

Advertisement There is a range in how prostate cancer experts are interpreting the results, however. Many told STAT that they believed it would lead to a new standard of care, with Emmanual Antonarakis, a genitourinary medical oncologist at the University of Minnesota, calling it a “watershed moment” in prostate cancer in a New England Journal of Medicine editorial. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account?

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