Androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone or testosterone) for women undergoing assisted reproduction.

BACKGROUND: Practitioners in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) continually seek alternative or adjunct treatments to improve ART outcomes. This Cochrane review investigates the adjunct use of synthetic versions of two naturally produced hormones, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone (T), in assisted reproduction. Steroid hormones are proposed to increase conception rates by positively affecting follicular response to gonadotrophin stimulation. This may lead to a greater oocyte yield and, subsequently, an increased chance of pregnancy. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of DHEA and T as pre- or co-treatments in infertile women undergoing assisted reproduction. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases up to 8 January 2024: the Gynaecology and Fertility Group (CGF) Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and trial registries for ongoing trials. We also searched citation indexes, Web of Science, PubMed, and OpenGrey. We searched the reference lists of relevant studies and contacted experts in the field for any additional trials. There were no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing DHEA or T as an adjunct treatment to any other active intervention, placebo, or no treatment in women undergoing assisted reproduction. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies, extracted relevant data, and assessed risk of bias. We pooled data from studies using fixed-effect models. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for each dichotomous outcome. Analyses were stratified by type of treatment. We assessed the certainty of evidence for the main findings using GRADE methods. MAIN RESULTS: We included 29 RCTs. There were 1599 women in the intervention group and 1469 in the control group. Apart from three trials, the trial participants were women identified as 'poor responders' to standard in vitro fertilisation (IVF) protocols. The included trials compared either T or DHEA treatment with placebo or no treatment. Pre-treatment with DHEA versus placebo/no treatment: DHEA likely results in little to no difference in live birth/ongoing pregnancy rates (OR 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95 to 1.76; I² = 16%, 9 RCTs, N = 1433, moderate certainty evidence). This suggests that in women with a 12% chance of live birth/ongoing pregnancy with placebo or no treatment, the live birth/ongoing pregnancy rate in women using DHEA will be between 12% and 20%. DHEA likely does not decrease miscarriage rates (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.37; I² = 0%, 10 RCTs, N =1601, moderate certainty evidence). DHEA likely results in little to no difference in clinical pregnancy rates (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.49; I² = 0%, 13 RCTs, N = 1886, moderate certainty evidence). This suggests that in women with a 17% chance of clinical pregnancy with placebo or no treatment, the clinical pregnancy rate in women using DHEA will be between 16% and 24%. We are very uncertain about the effect of DHEA on multiple pregnancy (OR 3.05, 95% CI 0.47 to 19.66; 7 RCTs, N = 463, very low certainty evidence). Pre-treatment with T versus placebo/no treatment: T likely improves live birth rates (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.61 to 3.99; I² = 0%, 8 RCTs, N = 716, moderate certainty evidence). This suggests that in women with a 10% chance of live birth with placebo or no treatment, the live birth rate in women using T will be between 15% and 30%. T likely does not decrease miscarriage rates (OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.76 to 3.51; I² = 0%, 9 RCTs, N = 755, moderate certainty evidence). T likely increases clinical pregnancy rates (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.06; I² = 0%, 13 RCTs, N = 1152, moderate certainty evidence). This suggests that in women with a 12% chance of clinical pregnancy with placebo or no treatment, the clinical pregnancy rate in women using T will be between 17% and 29%. We are very uncertain about the effect of T on multiple pregnancy (OR 2.56, 95% CI 0.59 to 11.20; 5 RCTs, N = 449, very low certainty evidence). We are uncertain about the effect of T versus oestradiol or T versus oestradiol + oral contraceptive pills. The certainty of the evidence was moderate to very low, the main limitations being lack of blinding in the included trials, inadequate reporting of study methods, and low event and sample sizes in the trials. Data on adverse events were sparse; any reported events were minor. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Pre-treatment with T likely improves, and pre-treatment with DHEA likely results in little to no difference, in live birth and clinical pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF who have been identified as poor responders. DHEA and T probably do not decrease miscarriage rates in women under IVF treatment. The effects of DHEA and T on multiple pregnancy are uncertain. Data regarding adverse events were very limited; any reported events were minor. Research is needed to identify the optimal duration of treatment with T. Future studies should include data collection on adverse events and multiple pregnancy.

Remedy hope for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Antimalarial suppresses ovarian androgen synthesis to relieve polycystic ovary syndrome.

Tea polyphenol-engineered hybrid cellular nanovesicles for cancer immunotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a crucial and effective strategy for prostate cancer, while systemic administration may cause profound side effects on normal tissues. More importantly, the ADT can easily lead to resistance by involving the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and high infiltration of M2 macrophages in tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanotherapeutic platform by deriving cell membrane nanovesicles from cancer cells and probiotics to yield the hybrid cellular nanovesicles (hNVs), loading flutamide (Flu) into the resulting hNVs, and finally modifying the hNVs@Flu with Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). In this nanotherapeutic platform, the hNVs significantly improved the accumulation of hNVs@Flu-EGCG in tumor sites and reprogramed immunosuppressive M2 macrophages into antitumorigenic M1 macrophages, the Flu acted on androgen receptors and inhibited tumor proliferation, and the EGCG promoted apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, thus synergistically stimulating the antitumor immunity and reducing the side effects and resistance of ADT. In a prostate cancer mouse model, the hNVs@Flu-EGCG significantly extended the lifespan of mice with tumors and led to an 81.78% reduction in tumor growth compared with the untreated group. Overall, the hNVs@Flu-EGCG are safe, modifiable, and effective, thus offering a promising platform for effective therapeutics of prostate cancer.

Testosterone therapy in females is not associated with increased cardiovascular or breast cancer risk: a claims database analysis.

BACKGROUND: Testosterone therapy (TTh) has been shown to improve libido in women with sexual dysfunction, but its utilization has been limited due to concern for cardiovascular events and past studies reporting highly variable results. AIM: To assess the association of TTh in women with major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), including heart attack, stroke, or death, using a large database. METHODS: The TriNetX Diamond Network was queried from 2009 to 2022. Our study cohort included adult females with ≥3 systemic testosterone prescriptions within a year. Our control cohort excluded females with any testosterone prescriptions, polycystic ovary syndrome, or androgen excess. Both cohorts excluded females with prior heart failure, unstable angina, intersex surgery (female to male), personal history of sex reassignment, or gender identity disorders. Propensity matching between the cohorts was performed. A subanalysis by age was conducted (18-55 and >55 years). OUTCOMES: We evaluated the association of TTh to the following: MACE, upper or lower emboli or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), breast neoplasm, and hirsutism within 3 years of TTh. RESULTS: When compared with propensity-matched controls, adult females with TTh had a lower risk of MACE (risk ratio [RR], 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51-0.81), DVT (RR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42-0.90), PE (RR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.28-0.82), and malignant breast neoplasm (RR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.37-0.62). Similarly, females aged 18 to 55 years with TTh had a lower risk of MACE (RR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.85) and DVT (RR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.25-0.93) and a similar risk of malignant breast neoplasm (RR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.34-1.12). Females aged ≥56 years with TTh had a similar risk of MACE (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.64-1.10), DVT (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.50-1.36), and PE (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.26-1.05) and a significantly lower risk of malignant breast neoplasm (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.68). Risk of hirsutism was consistently higher in those with TTh as compared with propensity-matched controls. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results contribute to safety data on TTh, a therapy for sexual dysfunction in women. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The TriNetX Diamond Network allows for significant generalizability but has insufficient information for some factors. CONCLUSIONS: We found a decreased risk of MACE among women with TTh as compared with matched controls and a similar risk of MACE in postmenopausal women while demonstrating a similar or significantly lower risk of breast cancer on age-based subanalysis.

Synergistic therapeutic effect of ginsenoside Rg3 modified minoxidil transfersomes (MXD-Rg3@TFs) on androgenic alopecia in C57BL/6 mice.

Inflammation in hair follicles will reduce the effectiveness of minoxidil (MXD) in the treatment of androgen alopecia (AGA) caused by elevated androgen levels. To target multiple physiological and pathological processes in AGA, a novel natural bioactive compound modified transfersomes (MXD-Rg3@TFs) was prepared to replace cholesterol that may disrupt hair growth, with ginsenosides Rg3 (Rg3) that have anti-inflammatory effects on AGA. The effects of MXD, Rg3 and their combination on AGA were evaluated using dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced human dermal papilla cells (DPCs), and the results showed that the combination of MXD and Rg3 can significantly promote the proliferation, reduce the level of intracellular ROS and inflammatory factors, and inhibit the aging of DHT induced DPCs. Compared with cholesterol membrane transfersomes (MXD-Ch@TFs), MXD-Rg3@TFs has similar deformability, smaller particle size and better stability. MXD-Rg3@TFs has also significant advantages in shortening telogen phase and prolonging the growth period of hair follicles in C57BL/6 mice than MXD-Ch@TFs and commercial MXD tincture. The prominent ability of MXD-Rg3@TFs to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT and reduce the level of inflammatory factors suggested that Rg3 and MXD in MXD-Rg3@TFs have synergistic effect on AGA therapy. MXD-Ch@TFs with no irritation to C57BL/6 mice skin is expected to reduce the dose of MXD and shorten the treatment time, which would undoubtedly provide a promising therapeutic option for treatment of AGA.

A phase I study of docetaxel plus synthetic lycopene in metastatic prostate cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Our preclinical studies showed that lycopene enhanced the anti-prostate cancer efficacy of docetaxel in animal models. A phase I trial (NCT0149519) was conducted to identify an optimum dose of synthetic lycopene in combination with docetaxel (and androgen blockade [androgen deprivation therapy, ADT]), and to evaluate its effect on the safety and pharmacokinetics of docetaxel in men with metastatic prostate cancer. METHODS: Subjects were treated with 21-day cycles of 75 mg/m2 docetaxel (and ADT), plus lycopene at 30, 90 or 150 mg/day. A Bayesian model averaging continual reassessment method was used to guide dose escalation. Pharmacokinetics of docetaxel and multiple correlative studies were carried out. RESULTS: Twenty-four participants were enrolled, 18 in a dose escalation cohort to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and six in a pharmacokinetic cohort. Docetaxel/ADT plus 150 mg/day synthetic lycopene resulted in dose-limiting toxicity (pulmonary embolus) in one out of 12 participants with an estimated probability of .106 and thus was chosen as the MTD. Lycopene increased the AUCinf and Cmax of plasma docetaxel by 9.5% and 15.1%, respectively. Correlative studies showed dose-related changes in circulating endothelial cells and vascular endothelial growth factor A, and reduction in insulin-like growth factor 1R phosphorylation, associated with lycopene therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of docetaxel/ADT and synthetic lycopene has low toxicity and favourable pharmacokinetics. The effects of lycopene on biomarkers provide additional support for the toxicity-dependent MTD definition. HIGHLIGHTS: The maximum tolerated dose was identified as 150 mg/day of lycopene in combination with docetaxel/ADT for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients. Small increases in plasma exposure to docetaxel were observed with lycopene co-administration. Mechanistically significant effects were seen on angiogenesis and insulin-like growth factor 1 signalling by lycopene co-administration with docetaxel/ADT.

Deep reinforcement learning identifies personalized intermittent androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

The evolution of drug resistance leads to treatment failure and tumor progression. Intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IADT) helps responsive cancer cells compete with resistant cancer cells in intratumoral competition. However, conventional IADT is population-based, ignoring the heterogeneity of patients and cancer. Additionally, existing IADT relies on pre-determined thresholds of prostate-specific antigen to pause and resume treatment, which is not optimized for individual patients. To address these challenges, we framed a data-driven method in two steps. First, we developed a time-varied, mixed-effect and generative Lotka-Volterra (tM-GLV) model to account for the heterogeneity of the evolution mechanism and the pharmacokinetics of two ADT drugs Cyproterone acetate and Leuprolide acetate for individual patients. Then, we proposed a reinforcement-learning-enabled individualized IADT framework, namely, I$^{2}$ADT, to learn the patient-specific tumor dynamics and derive the optimal drug administration policy. Experiments with clinical trial data demonstrated that the proposed I$^{2}$ADT can significantly prolong the time to progression of prostate cancer patients with reduced cumulative drug dosage. We further validated the efficacy of the proposed methods with a recent pilot clinical trial data. Moreover, the adaptability of I$^{2}$ADT makes it a promising tool for other cancers with the availability of clinical data, where treatment regimens might need to be individualized based on patient characteristics and disease dynamics. Our research elucidates the application of deep reinforcement learning to identify personalized adaptive cancer therapy.

Targeting Androgen Receptor Mutations in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer with a Novel Androgen Biosynthesis Inhibitor.

Multiple therapeutic advances in recent years have significantly improved outcomes for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, including utilization of combination androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors and/or taxane chemotherapy in earlier, hormone-sensitive disease.1 Unfortunately, patients typically still develop metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), the lethal form of disease with limited prognosis. Despite castration resistance, the majority of patients with mCRPC continue to have AR-dependent disease through a variety of mechanisms, including emergence of AR mutations, amplifications, splice variants, and persistent AR activation via alternative pathways of androgen production.2.

Racial Disparities in Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression Associated with Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze potential racial disparities in the diagnosis and management of depression associated with androgen deprivation therapy. METHODS: TriNetX health record network was queried for prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy from 2003-2023. Differences in rates of depression diagnosis and treatment were compared between White and Black patients. Means, odds ratios, and t tests were calculated in univariate analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Data were queried from 93 health care organizations to yield 78,313 prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy. Patients on androgen deprivation therapy had 60% greater odds of developing depression vs other patients [9% vs 6%; odds ratio (OR) 1.6; 95% CI (1.5-1.7); P <.0001]. Of those with depression secondary to androgen deprivation therapy, only 35% were treated with antidepressants. After starting androgen deprivation therapy, White patients had 30% greater odds of being diagnosed with depression, compared to Black patients [10% vs 8%; OR 1.3; 95% CI (1.2-1.4); P <.001]. White patients also had higher odds of being treated with a first line antidepressant than Black patients [56% vs 48%; OR 1.4, 95% CI (1.2-1.6), P <.001]. CONCLUSION: This analysis confirms a significant association between androgen deprivation therapy and the development of clinical depression, and highlights its medical undertreatment. Importantly, our findings also indicate significant racial disparities in the identification and treatment of depression. Routine screening initiatives that account for social determinants of health may alleviate this disparity. Limitations of this study include retrospective design and lack of data describing severity of depression, which might correlate with need for medication.

Treatment patterns and healthcare resource utilization in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer and nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in China: a real-world observational study.

AIM: This study assessed the treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), costs, and annual prevalence and incidence of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) and nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) in China. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical records (EMR) of patients with prostate cancer from three tertiary-care hospitals in China between January 2014 and March 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze study outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 1086 patients with mHSPC and 679 patients with nmCRPC were included. From 2015 to 2020, the annual percentage of prevalent and incident cases of mHSPC decreased from 22.4% to 20.0% and 11.1% to 6.9%, respectively; for nmCRPC, these increased from 3.8% to 13.6% and 3.3% to 8.4%. Androgen-deprivation therapy and first-generation antiandrogens (bicalutamide or flutamide) were the most frequently prescribed prostate cancer-related medications at baseline and follow-up in patients with mHSPC. Bicalutamide was the most frequently prescribed prostate cancer-related medication during follow-up in patients with nmCRPC. For mHSPC, inpatient admission costs were the highest, with the median (interquartile range) costs per person-month being USD 403.00 (USD 85.50-1226.20), whereas outpatient visit costs were the highest for nmCRPC (USD 372.60 [USD 139.50-818.50]). LIMITATIONS: EMR-based study design did not capture treatment patterns, HRU and associated costs, and healthcare encounters that occurred outside of participating hospitals, which could have led to underestimation of the true disease burden. CONCLUSIONS: A contrasting trend of a decline in the prevalence and incidence of mHSPC and an increase in these for nmCRPC was observed between 2015 and 2020 in China. Androgen-deprivation therapy and first-generation antiandrogens were the most frequently prescribed prostate cancer-related medications. Healthcare resource utilization was driven by inpatient costs in mHSPC and outpatient costs in nmCRPC.

ERBB3 Overexpression is Enriched in Diverse Patient Populations with Castration-sensitive Prostate Cancer and is Associated with a Unique AR Activity Signature.

PURPOSE: Despite successful clinical management of castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC), the 5-year survival rate for men with castration-resistant prostate cancer is only 32%. Combination treatment strategies to prevent disease recurrence are increasing, albeit in biomarker-unselected patients. Identifying a biomarker in CSPC to stratify patients who will progress on standard-of-care therapy could guide therapeutic strategies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Targeted deep sequencing was performed for the University of Illinois (UI) cohort (n = 30), and immunostaining was performed on a patient tissue microarray (n = 149). Bioinformatic analyses identified pathways associated with biomarker overexpression (OE) in the UI cohort, consolidated RNA sequencing samples accessed from Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (n = 664), and GSE209954 (n = 68). Neutralizing antibody patritumab and ectopic HER3 OE were utilized for functional mechanistic experiments. RESULTS: We identified ERBB3 OE in diverse patient populations with CSPC, where it was associated with advanced disease at diagnosis. Bioinformatic analyses showed a positive correlation between ERBB3 expression and the androgen response pathway despite low dihydrotestosterone and stable expression of androgen receptor (AR) transcript in Black/African American men. At the protein level, HER3 expression was negatively correlated with intraprostatic androgen in Black/African American men. Mechanistically, HER3 promoted enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer cell line models and HER3-targeted therapy resensitized therapy-resistant prostate cancer cell lines to enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS: In diverse patient populations with CSPC, ERBB3 OE was associated with high AR signaling despite low intraprostatic androgen. Mechanistic studies demonstrated a direct link between HER3 and enzalutamide resistance. ERBB3 OE as a biomarker could thus stratify patients for intensification of therapy in castration-sensitive disease, including targeting HER3 directly to improve sensitivity to AR-targeted therapies.

Perspectives on the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of non-cancer mortality in men with prostate cancer. This review summarizes the existing and emerging literature examining the cardiometabolic effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer. RECENT FINDINGS: The evidence behind the metabolic effects of ADT is derived from older studies and has not been validated in modern cohorts. Most of the newer studies focus on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with ADT. Recently published studies like the HERO and PRONOUNCE trials have once again sparked debate about the effects of different types and durations of ADT on cardiovascular outcomes. The link between ADT and CVD is inherently complex with a majority of the evidence collected from population-based or non-randomized trials without enriching for high-risk populations. Ongoing clinical trials may provide more informative data to guide the cardiovascular care of prostate cancer survivors.

Comorbidities in Angioedema Due to C1-Inhibitor Deficiency: An Italian Survey.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency is characterized by unpredictable recurrent episodes of swelling affecting the skin and the mucosa tissues, including gastrointestinal tract and/or oropharyngeal-laryngeal mucosae. Long-term prophylaxis (LTP) is used to prevent attacks. OBJECTIVE: Because C1-INH plays a pivotal role in several biological pathways, we investigated the possible association of comorbidities with C1-INH deficiency and the use of LTP with attenuated androgens (AA) or tranexamic acid (TXA). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study involved adult patients with HAE referred to Milan and Padua angioedema centers in the period 1979-2021. A qualitative comparison was performed to analyze comorbidities versus general population. The incidence of comorbidities was evaluated during LTP with AA or TXA versus patients without LTP. RESULTS: A total of 446 patients were studied. A greater prevalence among patients was found for heart diseases (9.6% vs 4.8%), acute myocardial infarction (5.6% vs 1.4%), hepatitis C virus infection (10.5% vs 2.5%), and appendectomy (15.9% vs 4.3%). In patients taking AA, a greater incidence was found for hypertension (22.8% vs 10.8%; odds ratio [OR]: 2.02), hypercholesterolemia (19.5% vs 5.3%; OR: 3.97), diabetes mellitus (5% vs 1.4%; OR: 3.21), hepatic angioma (4.4% vs 0.7%; OR: 8.35), and focal nodular hyperplasia (2.5% vs 0.4%; OR: 6.9). No association between TXA and comorbidities was found. CONCLUSION: In this large patient population with a rare disease followed for up to a 43-year period, we found a greater prevalence of comorbidities hitherto unreported in the literature and an association between comorbidities and LTP with AA.

An objective measure of response on whole-body MRI in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy, external beam radiotherapy, and radium-223.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to generate an objective method to describe MRI data to assess response in the vertebrae of patients with metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), treated with external beam radiation therapy and systemic therapy with Radium-223 and to correlate changes with clinical outcomes. METHODS: Three sets of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) images were utilized from 25 patients from the neo-adjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy pelvic Radiotherapy and RADium-223 (ADRRAD) clinical trial: MRI1 (up to 28 days before Radium-223), MRI2, and MRI3 (2 and 6 months post completion of Radium-223). Radiological response was assessed based on post baseline MRI images. Vertebrae were semi-automatically contoured in the sagittal T1-weighted (T1w) acquisitions, MRI intensity was measured, and spinal cord was used to normalize the measurements. The relationship between MRI intensity vs time to biochemical progression and radiology response was investigated. Survival curves were generated and splitting measures for survival and biochemical progression investigated. RESULTS: Using a splitting measure of 1.8, MRI1 was found to be a reliable quantitative indicator correlating with overall survival (P = 0.023) and biochemical progression (P = 0.014). MRI (3-1) and MRI (3-2) were found to be significant indicators for patients characterized by progressive/non-progressive disease (P = 0.021, P = 0.004) and biochemical progression within/after 12 months (P = 0.007, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We have identified a potentially useful objective measure of response on WBMRI of vertebrae containing bone metastases in mHSPC which correlates with survival/progression (prognostic) and radiology response (predictive). ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Measurements of T1w WBMRI normalized intensity may allow identifying potentially useful response biomarkers correlating with survival, radiological response and biochemical progression.

PRESTO: A Phase III, Open-Label Study of Intensification of Androgen Blockade in Patients With High-Risk Biochemically Relapsed Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer (AFT-19).

PURPOSE: Patients with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer (BRPC) after radical prostatectomy and a short PSA doubling time are at risk for distant metastases. Apalutamide, an androgen receptor antagonist, and abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AAP) prolong survival in the metastatic setting. We evaluated whether intensification of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) improves outcomes in BRPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: PRESTO is a randomized phase III, open-label trial in patients with BRPC and PSA doubling time ≤9 months (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03009981). Patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive a finite 52-week treatment course with ADT control, ADT + apalutamide, or ADT + apalutamide + AAP. The primary end point was PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), defined as serum PSA >0.2 ng/mL after treatment completion. RESULTS: Five hundred three patients were enrolled. The median PSA was 1.8 ng/mL (IQR, 1.0-3.6). At the first planned interim analysis, both experimental arms significantly prolonged PSA-PFS compared with the control arm (median, 24.9 months for ADT + apalutamide v 20.3 months for ADT; hazard ratio [HR], 0.52 [95% CI, 0.35 to 0.77]; P = .00047; median, 26.0 months for ADT + apalutamide + AAP v 20.0 months for ADT; HR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.32 to 0.71]; P = .00008). Median time to testosterone recovery did not differ across treatment arms. The most common grade ≥3 adverse event was hypertension (7.5%, 7.4%, and 18% in ADT, ADT + apalutamide, and ADT + apalutamide + AAP arms, respectively). CONCLUSION: Intensified AR blockade for a finite duration prolongs PSA-PFS with a manageable safety profile, without adversely affecting time to testosterone recovery. The addition of apalutamide to ADT should be considered in patients with high-risk BRPC.

The cutaneous effects of androgens and androgen-mediated sebum production and their pathophysiologic and therapeutic importance in acne vulgaris.

Background: The recognition of an association between the development of acne vulgaris (AV) and pubertal hormonal changes during adolescence dates back almost 100 years. Since these formative observations, a significant role of circulating hormones in the pathophysiology of AV and other cutaneous disorders has been established.Aims: This review article aims to provide an overview of clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the influences of androgens on the skin and their therapeutic importance in AV pathophysiology.Results: The cutaneous effects of hormones are attributable, to a large extent, to the influence of steroid hormones, particularly androgens, on sebocyte development and sebum production in both sexes. Androgen-mediated excess sebum production is implicated as a necessary early step in AV pathophysiology and is therefore considered an important therapeutic target in AV treatment. Although the local production and/or activity of androgens within the skin is believed to be important in AV pathophysiology, it has received limited therapeutic attention.Conclusions: We have summarized the current evidence in support of the therapeutic benefits of targeted hormonal treatment to decrease androgen-stimulated sebum production for the effective and safe treatment of AV in both male and female patients.

A Case of Pituitary Apoplexy Following Leuprolide Injection for Prostate Cancer.

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. We present a case of a 70-year-old African American male with prostate cancer who developed symptoms of pituitary apoplexy, including hot flashes, nausea, vomiting, and cranial nerve III palsy, following the initiation of leuprolide therapy. Imaging revealed a pituitary adenoma with hemorrhage, and prompt multidisciplinary management was initiated. The patient was managed conservatively with improvement in symptoms. This case highlights the importance of recognizing the potential for pituitary apoplexy in patients receiving GnRH agonist therapy. We discuss the clinical presentation of GnRH agonist induced pituitary apoplexy, emphasizing that clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion and promptly investigate any new neuro- ophthalmic symptoms in this group of patients. Ultimately, prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to mitigate the severity of this complication in patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.

Androgen treatment effects on neurocognition in female-to-male transgender adolescents. / Efectos del tratamiento con andrógenos sobre la neurocognición en adolescentes transgénero de mujer a hombre.

INTRODUCTION: It has been hypothesized that cognitive and memory-related brain function in transgender during cross-sex hormonal treatment might be activated towards that of the subjective gender. However, research on this topic has produced inconsistent results, and to the best of our knowledge no studies have investigated neurocognitive changes in androgen-treated female-to-male (FM) transgender adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 15 FM transgender adolescents (14-17 years) underwent neuropsychological testing in order to examine the effects of androgen on visuo-spacial abilities, verbal memory language, processing speed and executive functions. We used a longitudinal design in which 10 participants were tested twice, before and after receiving 12 months of testosterone treatment. This group was also compared with 5 FM transgender adolescents off-androgen treatment. RESULTS: Participants tested before and after 12 months of androgen treatment improved significantly on processing speed in a visuo-spatial (Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test) and in a visuo-oral task (Stroop), their performance on a verbal memory task (TAVEC) and on interference (Stroop) and they exhibited lower impulsivity control (CARAS-R). On-androgen treatment adolescents exhibited worse cognitive impulsivity control than off-androgen treatment adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that androgen has an influence on immediate verbal memory, cognitive interference, impulsivity control and processing speed.

TITLE: Efectos del tratamiento con andrógenos sobre la neurocognición en adolescentes transgénero de mujer a hombre.Introducción. Se ha planteado la hipótesis de que la neurocognición en personas transgénero durante el tratamiento hormonal cruzado podría aproximarse a la del género subjetivo. Sin embargo, la investigación sobre este tema ha producido resultados inconsistentes y, hasta donde sabemos, ningún estudio ha investigado los cambios neurocognitivos en adolescentes transgénero de mujer a hombre (FM) tratados con andrógenos. Sujetos y métodos. Quince adolescentes transgénero FM (14-17 años) se sometieron a pruebas neuropsicológicas para examinar los efectos de los andrógenos en sus habilidades visuoespaciales, memoria verbal, velocidad de procesamiento y funciones ejecutivas. Utilizamos un diseño longitudinal en el que se evaluó a 10 participantes dos veces, antes y después de recibir, durante 12 meses, tratamiento con testosterona. Este grupo también se comparó con cinco adolescentes transgénero FM sin tratamiento con andrógenos. Resultados. Los participantes evaluados antes y después de 12 meses de tratamiento con andrógenos mejoraron significativamente en velocidad de procesamiento en una tarea visuoespacial (prueba de la figura compleja de Rey-Osterrieth) y en una tarea visual (Stroop), en una tarea de memoria verbal (test de aprendizaje verbal España-Complutense) y en interferencia (Stroop), y exhibieron un menor control de la impulsividad (test de percepción de diferencias revisado). Los adolescentes que recibieron tratamiento con andrógenos mostraron un peor control de la impulsividad cognitiva que los adolescentes que no recibieron tratamiento con andrógenos. Conclusiones. Los resultados indican que los andrógenos influyen en la memoria verbal, la interferencia cognitiva, el control de la impulsividad y la velocidad de procesamiento.