Prostate Cancer Playback: Highlights of 2024

Prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, with 1.4 million new cases and over 375,000 deaths reported in 2022. These statistics reflect significant global disparities in incidence, screening practices, and access to treatment. Over the past decade, the clinical landscape of prostate cancer has rapidly evolved, largely due to the introduction of combination treatments utilising androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a long-standing pillar in management, as a foundation. This article summarises presentations delivered during a symposium held on 28th November at the Global Congress on Prostate Cancer (PROSCA) 2024 in Vienna, Austria. Four globally recognised experts discussed recent advancements in prostate cancer treatment and how these impacted their clinical practice in 2024, providing unique perspectives and insights from key members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) comprising urology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology. Cosimo De Nunzio, Professor of Urology at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and the meeting Chair, opened the meeting with an overview of the clinical landscape of prostate cancer in 2024. He highlighted the significant advancements in treatment options over the past decade and how these developments influenced his clinical practice in 2024. Athanasios Papatsoris, Senior Professor of Urology at the University of Athens, Greece, presented key highlights from 2024 from a urologist’s perspective. He critically analysed pivotal studies shaping prostate cancer care and concluded with an informative case study that illustrated how standard practices are evolving and emphasised the importance of MDT collaboration in ensuring the best outcome for the patient. Thomas Zilli, Professor at the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, explored advancements in the management of localised and recurrent prostate cancer. He contextualised the implications of data from major clinical trials with a focus on optimising radiation therapy. Amit Bahl, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the University Hospitals Bristol, UK, closed the presentations by highlighting transformative developments in the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). He focused on the progression from doublet therapy (ADT + androgen receptor-targeted agents [ARTA]) to triplet therapy (ADT + ARTA + docetaxel), supported by landmark trials such as PEACE-1 and ARASENS, as well as the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approval of the oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, relugolix, and olaparib plus abiraterone.