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 Trial to Find Out if REGN5678 (Nezastomig) is Safe and How Well it Works Alone or in Combination With Cemiplimab for Adult Participants With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer and Other Tumors
The main purpose of this study is to determine the safety, tolerability (how the body reacts to the drug\[s\]) and effectiveness (ability to treat the cancer) of REGN5678 (Nezastomig) alone, or in combination with cemiplimab. The study has 2 parts. The goal of Part 1 (dose escalation) is to determine a safe dose(s) of REGN5678 when it is given alone or in combination with cemiplimab. The goal of Part 2 (dose expansion) is to use the REGN5678 drug dose(s) found in Part 1 to see how well REGN5678 alone or in combination with cemiplimab works to shrink tumors. This study is looking at several other research questions, including: 1. Side effects that may be experienced by taking REGN5678 alone or in combination with cemiplimab 2. How REGN5678 alone or in combination with cemiplimab works in the body 3. How much REGN5678 and/or cemiplimab are present in the blood 4. To see if REGN5678 alone or in combination with cemiplimab works to reduce the size of the tumor by helping the immune system destroy the tumor
A Study of Mental Health Care in People With Cancer
The purpose of this study is to look at mental health services for adults with depressed mood who were diagnosed with cancer at the age of 65 or older. This study will compare the usual approach for connecting older adults with depressed mood to mental health services with the Open Door for Cancer (OD-C) approach. We will find out if the OD-C approach is practical and useful for cancer patients who participate in the intervention and for providers who see or treat cancer patients.