Abiraterone Acetate for Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer

If a patient agrees to participate in this research study, he will be asked to undergo some screening tests and procedures to confirm eligibility. Many of these tests and procedures are likely to be part of regular cancer care and may be done even if it turns out the patient does not take part in the research study. These tests and procedures include: a medical history, physical exam, performance status, EKG, MUGA scan, bone scan, evaluation of the patient's disease, blood tests and a urine test. If these tests show that the patient is eligible to participate in the research study, he will begin the study treatment. If the patient does not meet the eligibility criteria, he will not be able to participate.

Once confirmed eligible to participate in the study, the patient will be started on the treatment. Patients will be seen in an outpatient setting. All patients will receive the study drugs, abiraterone acetate and prednisone. For the purposes of this description, study treatment will refer to abiraterone acetate in combination with prednisone.

Patients will take 4 tablets of abiraterone acetate by mouth daily. Patients will also take 1 tablet of prednisone by mouth twice a day. Patients will be given a study diary which includes instructions on how and when to take the study medication.

During the first two months in the study, patients will make about 3 visits to the clinic. Afterwards, patients will visit the clinic about once a month.

This study uses bone scans to assess worsening of subjects' prostate cancer (tumor progression) in the bones. Because arthritis can cause spots to appear on the bone scans, the scan is repeated a few weeks later. Cancer spots remain the same, but arthritis spots may disappear. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests can also be unreliable in the first few weeks after starting any new prostate cancer therapy. This is because the death of prostate cancer cells as a result of a new treatment can release PSA leading to an initial higher level in your blood. Such early rises in PSA can be mistaken for progression of a patient's cancer.

Cancer treatments can be divided into periods of time called cycles. A cycle in this study will last 28 days. At the start of each cycle of treatment, patients will be asked to visit the clinic to have regular pre-scheduled checkups and lab assessments. During Cycle 1 of this study, patients will be asked to come to the clinic twice for assessments, on Day 1 and Day 15. At these visits the study staff will talk to patients about the study in greater detail, perform all study visit procedures and provide the study treatment. The staff may also perform more tests and evaluations if needed.

If a subject continues to qualify for the study after Cycle 1, he will undergo a medical review, physical exam and blood sample on Day 1 of each cycle. Throughout the study, patients will be asked if you are experiencing any side effects. Subjects will be responsible for keeping your doctor informed if they feel they are having a reaction to the study treatment. In addition, subjects will be responsible for taking the medications on a daily basis as directed. It is very important to inform the treating clinician of any missed doses and the reasons why doses were missed, at each study visit. Patients will also be responsible for returning unused medication or the empty bottle at each study visit.

On Day 1 of Cycles 4, 7, 10 and every third cycle for as long as patients remain on study a blood sample for the CTC tests (about 2 tablespoons) will be collected. The following additional procedures will be done on Day 1 of Cycles 4, 7, 10 and every third cycle thereafter, and at Treatment Discontinuation: CT or MRI of abdomen and pelvis and bone scans.

After the final dose of study drug, patients will return for an End of Study Treatment Visit (15-28 days from treatment discontinuation). The tests completed at this end of study visit are the same as Cycle 1 Day 1.