Jalen Patel, MD – City of Hope
august 21, 2023
Drawing from data provided by ASCO and Friends of Cancer Research, the study endeavors to characterize the eligibility criteria employed in advanced prostate cancer investigations. The primary objective centers on ensuring that the clinical trial parameters accurately reflect the broader population.
The classification involves three distinct categories: exclusion, conditional inclusion, and instances where criteria were not reported. Upon scrutinizing the criteria of interest, the analysis reveals a predominant tendency among trials to exclude individuals with brain metastases, HIV, hepatitis B and C, as well as concurrent malignancies. The subsequent breakdown of four figures delves deeper into treatment-specific distinctions.
Notably, a significant proportion of advanced prostate cancer studies conducted over the last decade align with the restrictive eligibility criteria outlined by the ASCO Friends of Cancer Research statement. In light of this, there arises a pressing need to reevaluate and broaden the eligibility criteria, thereby fostering a more comprehensive and representative patient participation in these trials.
The hesitancy in including patients with the aforementioned conditions stems from concerns related to drug safety and efficacy.