Could a tiny dose of this drug help men with prostate cancer avoid surgery?

NCT ID NCT04530552

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI) Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a very low dose of apalutamide, taken for 3-4 weeks before prostate removal surgery, could lower PSA levels in 34 men with early-stage prostate cancer. The goal was to see if the drug blocks testosterone's effect on cancer growth. If it works, it might offer a way to delay or avoid surgery or radiation in the future.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: apalutamide (a drug that blocks testosterone's effect on prostate cancer)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could support using low-dose apalutamide to help men with early prostate cancer delay surgery or radiation.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase study (34 participants) testing only a short-term effect on PSA, not long-term outcomes. The low dose may not work as hoped.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

prostate adenocarcinoma prostate cancer prostate carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

LOCALIZED PROSTATE CARCINOMA PROSTATE ADENOCARCINOMA STAGE I PROSTATE CANCER AJCC V8 STAGE II PROSTATE CANCER AJCC V8

Contacts and locations

Locations

George Washington University Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20037, United States
Johns Hopkins University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center

Baltimore, Maryland, 21287, United States
NCI - Center for Cancer Research

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Los Angeles, California, 90033, United States
University of Arizona Cancer Center - Prevention Research Clinic

Tucson, Arizona, 85719, United States

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