Testing the Effects of Low Dose Apalutamide on Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Levels in Men Scheduled for Removal of the Prostate Gland

May 28, 2026 updated by: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Clinical Study of Bioactivity of Low Dose Apalutamide in Prostate Cancer Patients Scheduled for Prostatectomy

Apalutamide is an anti-androgen that blocks the effect of testosterone on prostate cancer growth. This phase IIa trial is designed to determine whether very low doses of apalutamide, given for 3 to 4 weeks before prostate surgery to men with prostate cancer confined to the prostate gland, reduces plasma levels of PSA (a biomarker of apalutamide's ability to block testosterone). If low dose apalutamide lowers PSA levels in this setting, further study of this agent in men with localized prostate cancer who wish to delay definitive therapy with surgery or radiation may be warranted.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the effects of low dose apalutamide on circulating levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the effect of low dose apalutamide on:

Ia. Reversibility of testosterone levels 7-14 days post intervention; Ib. Post-intervention plasma trough apalutamide concentration; Ic. Health-related quality of life.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the effects of apalutamide on intra-prostatic immune cell infiltration and Gleason score and the effects of tobacco/alcohol use on the study endpoints.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive apalutamide orally (PO) on study. Patients also undergo collection of blood samples throughout the study.

After completion of the trial intervention, patients are followed up at 7-10 days and at 60 days.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
34

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Arizona
      • Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85719
        • University of Arizona Cancer Center - Prevention Research Clinic
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90033
        • USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States, 20037
        • George Washington University Medical Center
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
        • Johns Hopkins University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • NCI - Center for Cancer Research

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically confirmed organ-confined adenocarcinoma of the prostate (PCa) suitable for prostatectomy
  • Gleason score =< (4+4), however no Gleason pattern 5
  • Current serum PSA =< 20 ng/ml
  • Age > 18 years
  • Karnofsky >= 70%
  • Leukocytes >= 3,000/uL
  • Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,500/uL
  • Platelets >= 100,000/uL
  • Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (note: in subjects with Gilbert's syndrome, if total bilirubin is > 1.5 x ULN, measure direct and indirect bilirubin and if direct bilirubin is =< 1.5 x ULN, subject may be eligible)
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) < 2.5 x institutional ULN
  • Creatinine < 2 x institutional ULN
  • Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) within the institutional normal range
  • Willing to use adequate contraception (barrier method; abstinence; subject has had a vasectomy; or partner is using effective birth control or is postmenopausal) for the duration of study participation
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior or ongoing hormonal treatment for prostate cancer including, but not limited to orchiectomy, antiandrogens, abiraterone, ketoconazole, or estrogens, or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists/antagonists. Men on stable doses of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (e.g., finasteride, dutasteride) are eligible as long as there is no planned dose change while on study
  • Patients who have prostate cancer with distant metastases
  • Presence of neuroendocrine differentiation in the prostate biopsies
  • Serum testosterone (blood collected between 7-10 AM for men < 45 years of age and prior to 2 PM for men >= 45 years of age) < 200 ng/dL
  • Have a history of prior malignancies other than prostate cancer within the past 2 years, excluding non-melanoma skin cancer
  • Severe or unstable angina, myocardial infarction, symptomatic congestive heart failure, arterial or venous thromboembolic events (e.g., pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular accident including transient ischemic attacks), or clinically significant ventricular arrhythmias within 6 months prior to registration
  • History of seizure or known condition that may pre-dispose to seizure (including but not limited to prior stroke, transient ischemic attack, loss of consciousness within 1 year prior to registration, brain arteriovenous malformation; or intracranial masses such as schwannomas and meningiomas that are causing edema or mass effect)
  • Use of drugs known to lower the seizure threshold, including: atypical antipsychotics (e.g. clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, ziprasidone), bupropion, lithium, meperidine, pethidine, phenothiazine antipsychotics (e.g. chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, thioridazine), and tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. amitriptyline, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine, maprotiline, mirtazapine)
  • Concurrent use of drugs in category X drug interactions with apalutamide
  • Participants may not be receiving any other investigational agents
  • History of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical composition of apalutamide
  • Uncontrolled intermittent illnesses or medical conditions which, in the opinion of the treating physician, would make this protocol unreasonably hazardous for the patient. Such illnesses/conditions may include, but are not limited to, hypertension, ongoing or active infection, or psychiatric illness/social situations

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment (apalutamide)
Patients receive apalutamide PO on study. Patients also undergo collection of blood samples throughout the study.
Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment
Ancillary studies
Other Names:
  • Quality of Life Assessment
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo collection of blood samples
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
  • Sample Collection
Drug: Apalutamide
Given PO
Other Names:
  • ARN-509
  • JNJ-56021927
  • ARN 509
  • ARN509
  • Erleada
  • JNJ 56021927

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Levels
Time Frame: Baseline to end-of-intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)
The proportion of participants with >= 25% decline in PSA levels (from baseline to end-of-intervention) will be reported along with the 97.5% credible interval for the response rate based on the posterior distribution of the response rate derived from a non-informative prior for the response rate, which is consistent with the Bayesian approach.
Baseline to end-of-intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Reversibility of Testosterone Levels
Time Frame: End-of-intervention to post-operation (mean 2.7 days; up to 7 days)
Mean change in testosterone from end-of-intervention to post-operation
End-of-intervention to post-operation (mean 2.7 days; up to 7 days)
Post-intervention Plasma Trough Apalutamide Concentrations
Time Frame: End-of-intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)
Correlation between plasma apalutamide and percent change of PSA levels
End-of-intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)
Health-related Quality of Life (HRQOL)
Time Frame: Baseline to end of intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)
Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for Clinical Practice [EPIC-CP]. Higher scores indicate worse outcome (more symptoms). The minimum and maximum values for the total score are 0 to 60. A negative change indicates that the score decreased and therefore is a better outcome (reduced symptoms).
Baseline to end of intervention (mean 4.8 weeks; up to 9 weeks)

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Gleason Score of Pre- and Post-intervention Tumor(s) With Matched Location
Time Frame: Up to 7-14 days after prostate surgery
Changes (from most recent biopsy to prostatectomy) in the Gleason score of pre- and post-intervention tumor(s) with matched location will be assessed for each dose group. Linear mixed effects model with a random intercept accounting for within-subject dependence will be performed to compare the change in Gleason score of pre- and post-intervention tumor(s) with matched location since a participant can have more than one tumor. A 95% Cl will be reported for each of the two dose groups.
Up to 7-14 days after prostate surgery
Intra-prostatic Immune Cell Infiltration
Time Frame: Up to 7-14 days after prostate surgery
CD8+, CD4+, and CD56+ positive cells in the prostate tissues will be assessed by immunohistochemistry. Changes (from most recent biopsy to prostatectomy) in these immune cells will be assessed for each dose group. Changes in immune cel infiltration will also be assessed in a subgroup of participants where materials are available from pre- and post-intervention tumors) with matched location. Changes (from most recent biopsy to prostatectomy) in these immune cells will be assessed for each dose group by paired t test. A 95% Cl will be reported for each of the two dose groups.
Up to 7-14 days after prostate surgery
Effects of Tobacco/Alcohol Use
Time Frame: Baseline, every 7-10 during study, within 3 days prior to surgery, and 7-14 days after surgery
Will be assessed by examining the associations between tobacco and alcohol consumption and the effects of apalutamide on the study endpoints.
Baseline, every 7-10 during study, within 3 days prior to surgery, and 7-14 days after surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Juan Chipollini, University of Arizona Cancer Center - Prevention Research Clinic

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 23, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 6, 2024

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 27, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 27, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 28, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 28, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NCI-2020-06322 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))
  • 2102475889 (Other Identifier: University of Arizona Cancer Center - Prevention Research Clinic)
  • UAZ20-01-01 (Other Identifier: DCP)
  • P30CA023074 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • UG1CA242596 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

NCI is committed to sharing data in accordance with NIH policy. For more details on how clinical trial data is shared, access the link to the NIH data sharing policy page.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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