What the trial was testing
The HERO enrolled 1,134 patients with prostate cancer. The study was sponsored by Myovant Sciences GmbH and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
Relugolix lowered testosterone in 56% of men by day 4, compared to 0% with leuprolide injections.
The New England journal of medicine · 2020 · NCT03085095
These findings — that men on relugolix had half as many serious heart problems as those on leuprolide — were published in the The New England journal of medicine and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 1,134 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with prostate cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Relugolix is FDA-approved for advanced prostate cancer. It works faster than older injections and may be safer for your heart. If you're starting hormone therapy or switching treatments, ask your doctor if relugolix is right for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open prostate cancer trials
A First-in-human (FIH), Phase 1 Study of ML261, an Autologous Potency Enhanced Anti-DLL3 CAR T Cell Therapy, in Participants With R/R SCLC or Select NECs (SPECTRAL-1)
This is a first-in-human (FIH), open-label, Phase 1 study designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and preliminary efficacy of ML261, an autologous potency enhanced anti-DLL3 CAR T cell therapy, in participants with R/R SCLC or select NECs
Image-guided Focal Brachytherapy Utilizing Combined 18F-DCFPyl PET/CT
The Principal Investigator's (PI) working hypothesis is that the PI can utilize the high predictive value of 18F-DCFPyl PSMA to identify clinically significant tumors in patients who will undergo brachytherapy, as well as areas which are uninvolved or contain only clinically insignificant disease. In the PI's clinical trial, the uninvolved regions (as defined by combined PET-MR-biopsy data) will not be targeted and receive only fall-off dose, which we have shown to be associated with reductions in toxicity.