New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, with about one in eight men diagnosed during their lifetime. Many prostate cancers grow slowly and may never cause problems, while others are aggressive and require immediate treatment. Current options include surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy, with treatment decisions depending on how fast the cancer is growing and whether it has spread.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing PARP inhibitors for men with specific DNA repair gene mutations, new hormonal agents that work after standard hormone therapy stops working, radiopharmaceuticals that deliver radiation directly to cancer cells, and immunotherapies including CAR-T cells and checkpoint inhibitors. Researchers are also studying ways to identify which slow-growing cancers can be safely watched rather than immediately treated.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on whether the cancer is localized or has spread, PSA level, prior treatments, specific gene mutations like BRCA1 or BRCA2, and performance status.

What types of trials are currently open

• Hormonal therapy trials — Testing new drugs that block testosterone in different ways, often for men whose cancer has stopped responding to standard hormone therapy.
• Targeted therapy trials — Testing drugs aimed at specific mutations, like PARP inhibitors for BRCA mutations or drugs targeting the PI3K pathway.
• Immunotherapy trials — Testing treatments that help the immune system attack prostate cancer, including vaccines, checkpoint inhibitors, and CAR-T cells.
• Radiation trials — Testing new forms of radiation therapy, including radiopharmaceuticals that travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body.
• Active surveillance studies — Following men with slow-growing prostate cancer closely with PSA tests and biopsies to determine who can safely delay treatment.