Immunotherapy has led to unprecedented and durable response rates in multiple cancer types. However, similar success in prostate cancer has not been achieved, leaving patients and the prostate cancer scientific community working harder than ever to understand why and how to identify and select patients who may benefit from these powerful therapies. In parallel, the use of immunotherapy with radiotherapy has demonstrated immense promise in preclinical testing. Given the fundamental role radiotherapy has in the treatment of both primary and metastatic prostate cancer, there is strong rationale for the combination of these two treatments to improve outcomes for prostate cancer patients. Herein, we discuss the state of immunotherapy for prostate cancer and the current obstacles and opportunities available under active investigation.Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy in men in the USA [1]. However, there remain 26,700 deaths from prostate cancer each year making death from prostate cancer more common than renal cell carcinoma, melanoma and all brain tumors combined each year in men. The primary methods of treatment intensification for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are intensification of androgen signaling inhibition or addition of cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, few CRPC patients achieve long-term durable control of their disease and ubiquitously succumb to their disease. Thus, there is an unmet clinical need for additional therapies to improve the care of patients with prostate cancer.Immunotherapy is a true disruptive therapeutic innovation in oncology. Unprecedented response rates, and perhaps more importantly durable response rates, have been achieved in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, lymphoma, among others. However, similarly designed clinical trials in prostate cancer have not demonstrated comparable rates of efficacy leaving patients and the prostate cancer scientific community working harder than ever to understand why and how to identify and select patients who may benefit from these powerful therapies.In parallel to the surge of positive trials with immunotherapy in other disease sites, the use of immunotherapy with radiotherapy has demonstrated immense promise in primarily preclinical testing. Given the fundamental role radiotherapy has in the treatment of both primary and metastatic prostate cancer for curative intent or palliative benefit, there is strong rationale for the combination of these two treatments to improve outcomes for our patients. Herein, we discuss the state of immunotherapy for prostate cancer and the current obstacles and opportunities available under active investigation.
History of immunotherapy in prostate cancerProstate cancer pioneered early immunostimulatory efforts. Sipuleucel-T, which consists of ex vivo dendritic cell stimulation with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and the conserved tumor antigen prostatic alkaline phosphatase, was ...