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Radiation Therapy With or Without Apalutamide in Treating Patients With Recurrent Prostate Cancer, the BALANCE Trial

A Phase II, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial of Salvage Radiotherapy With or Without Enhanced Anti-Androgen Therapy With Apalutamide in Recurrent Prostate Cancer (BALANCE*)

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03371719
Enrollment
298
Registered
2017-12-13
Start date
2018-06-20
Completion date
2026-10-27
Last updated
2026-08-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Recurrent Prostate Carcinoma, Stage III Prostate Adenocarcinoma AJCC v7, Stage IV Prostate Adenocarcinoma AJCC v7

Brief summary

This phase II trial studies how well radiation therapy with or without apalutamide works in treating patients with prostate cancer that has come back (recurrent). Radiation therapy uses high energy x-ray to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Androgen can cause the growth of prostate cancer cells. Drugs, such as apalutamide, may lessen the amount of androgen made by the body. Giving radiation therapy and apalutamide may work better at treating prostate cancer compared to radiation therapy alone.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine whether, in men with post-prostatectomy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrences, salvage radiation (SRT) with enhanced anti-androgen therapy with apalutamide will improve biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) compared to SRT alone. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess whether molecular stratification by the PAM50 gene expression clustering will identify subsets of prostate cancer (luminal A or basal, luminal B) which derive the greatest benefit from anti-androgen therapy. II. To assess overall survival. III. To assess cancer-specific mortality. IV. To assess metastasis-free survival. V. To assess distant metastasis. VI. To assess local-regional progression. VII. To assess PSA nadir during first year of treatment and prior to initiation of any hormonal salvage therapy. VIII. To assess initiation of salvage hormonal therapy. IX. To assess PSA with a non-castrate testosterone at 1 and 3 years post randomization: PSA \< 0.1 ng/ml and testosterone \>= 50 ng/dl. X. To assess acute and late physician-reported morbidity (per the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\] version 5.0) after SRT +/- apalutamide. XI. To assess acute and late patient-reported symptomatic adverse events morbidity (per the patient reported outcomes \[PRO\]-CTCAE) after SRT +/- apalutamide. XII. To assess testosterone levels at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 36 months post randomization. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVE: I. To assess the prognostic and predictive value of the genomic classifier Decipher. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM 1: Patients undergo external beam radiation therapy on day 1 for 7-8 weeks. Beginning on day of radiation therapy, patients receive placebo orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-30. Treatment repeats every 30 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM 2: Patients undergo external beam radiation therapy on day 1 for 7-8 weeks. Beginning on day of radiation therapy, patients receive apalutamide PO QD on days 1-30. Treatment repeats every 30 days for up to 6 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 years, and then yearly thereafter.

Interventions

DRUGApalutamide

Given PO

RADIATIONExternal Beam Radiation Therapy

Undergo external beam radiation therapy

OTHERPlacebo Administration

Given PO

Sponsors

NRG Oncology
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Pathologically (histologically) proven diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma; prostatectomy must have been performed within 10 years prior to Step 1 registration and any type of radical prostatectomy is permitted, including retropubic, perineal, laparoscopic or robotically assisted * Post-prostatectomy patients with a detectable serum PSA (\>= 0.1, but =\< 1.0 ng/mL) at study entry (within 90 days of Step 1 registration) and at least one of the following: * Gleason score 7-10 (International Society of Urological Pathology \[ISUP\] grade group 2 to 5) * ISUP grade group: * Grade group 1 = Gleason score =\< 6, * Grade group 2 = Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7, * Grade group 3 = Gleason score 4 + 3 = 7, * Grade group 4 = Gleason score 8, * Grade group 5 = Gleason scores 9 and 10 * \>= T3a disease * Persistent elevation of PSA after prostatectomy measured within 90 days after surgery (PSA never became undetectable) of \> 0.04 but \< 0.2 ng/mL (PSA nadir) * pN0 or pNx * History/physical examination within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Karnofsky performance status of 70-100 within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Surgical formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimen must be available for submission to GenomeDx for genomic analysis on Decipher GRID platform; Note: if Decipher results have already been obtained, in lieu of tissue, results must be submitted to GenomeDx for validation and for GenomeDx to provide the subtyping needed for stratification * Prior androgen deprivation therapy (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone \[LHRH\] agonist and/or non-steroidal anti-androgen) is allowed if discontinued at least 90 days prior to Step 1 registration and given for =\< 90 days duration * For example: patients on prior LHRH analogs (post-prostatectomy), the discontinuation date should be calculated based on the expected duration of the sustained release injection, not simply the injection date of the drug; for instance, if a 22.5 mg sustained release dose of leuprolide acetate is given (3 month duration), then the expected duration of such a dose would be 90 days after the injection date; for a 7.5 mg leuprolide (1 month duration), the discontinuation date would be 30 days after the injection date * Please note: finasteride or dutasteride must be stopped before treatment starts but prior usage will not affect eligibility * Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL, independent of transfusion and/or growth factors within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Platelet count \>= 100,000 x 10\^9/uL independent of transfusion and/or growth factors within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Serum albumin \>= 3.0 g/dL within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \>= 35 mL/min estimated by Cockcroft-Gault or measured directly by 24 hour urine creatinine within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Serum total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x 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 is eligible) within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \< 2.5 x ULN within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Testosterone \> 50 ng/dL within 90 days prior to Step 1 registration * Concomitant medications known to lower the seizure threshold discontinued or substituted at least 4 weeks (30 days) prior to Step 1 registration * The patient must agree to use a condom (even men with vasectomies) and another effective method of birth control if he is having sex with a woman of childbearing potential or agree to use a condom if he is having sex with a woman who is pregnant while on study drug and for 3 months following the last dose of study drug * The patient must agree not to donate sperm during the study treatment and for 3 months after receiving the last dose of study drug * The patient or a legally authorized representative must provide study-specific informed consent prior to study entry

Exclusion criteria

* PRIOR TO STEP 1 REGISTRATION: * Definitive clinical, radiologic, or pathologic evidence of metastatic disease (M1) or lymph node involvement (N1) * Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the male breast, penis, oral cavity, or stage Ta of the bladder, or stage I completely resected melanoma) unless disease free for a minimum of 2 years * Prior systemic chemotherapy for the study cancer; note that prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable * Prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields * History of any of the following: * Seizure or known condition that may pre-dispose to seizure (e.g. prior stroke within 1 year prior to Step 1 registration) * History of documented inflammatory bowel disease * Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 4 months prior to Step 1 registration * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months prior to Step 1 registration * History of any condition that in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude participation in this study * Current evidence of any of the following: * Known gastrointestinal disorder affecting absorption of oral medications * Active uncontrolled infection (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus \[HIV\] or viral hepatitis) * Uncontrolled hypertension * Any current condition that in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude participation in this study * Prior whole gland ablative therapy (i.e. cryoablation or high intensity focused ultrasound \[HIFU\]) for prostate cancer is not allowed * HIV positive with CD4 count \< 200 cells/microliter within 30 days prior to registration * HIV patients under treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) within 30 days prior to registration regardless of CD4 count; (Note: HIV testing is not required for eligibility for this protocol as it is self-reported; this exclusion criterion is necessary because the treatments involved in this protocol may be immunosuppressive and/or interact with HAART) * Patients must not plan to participate in any other clinical trials while receiving treatment on this study or being followed post-protocol therapy * PRIOR TO STEP 2 REGISTRATION: * For patients who have not undergone prior Decipher analysis, submission of the specimen to GenomeDx should be as soon as possible after study registration (Step 1) as these results can take up 21 days after the specimen is received at GenomeDx; Step 2 registration must occur within 6 weeks (42 days) of Step 1 registration; if Decipher results have already been obtained, in lieu of tissue, results must be submitted to GenomeDx for validation

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants Alive Without Biochemical Progression (Biochemical Progression-free Survival)From randomization to biochemical progression or last follow-up if alive. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Biochemical progression is defined as the first occurrence of the following: * A rise in PSA ≥0.2 ng/mL from nadir PSA, confirmed by a second PSA measurement equal to or higher than the first; * Clinical or radiographic local, regional, or distant metastases * Death from any cause. Biochemical progression-free survival rates are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, censoring participants alive at time of analysis. Arms are compared within molecular subtype group sequentially based on a study design that determines if and how to incorporate the biomarker in a in a subsequent phase III trial.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Participants Alive (Overall Survival)From randomization to death or last follow-up if alive. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Survival rates are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, censoring participants alive at time of analysis.
Percentage of Participants Who Have Died Due to Prostate Cancer (Cancer-specific Mortality (CSM))From the date of randomization to the date of death due to prostate cancer or last follow-up if alive. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Prostate cancer death rates were estimated using the cumulative incidence method in which death from other causes is treated as a competing risk and alive patients are censored.
Percentage of Participants Alive Without Distant Metastases (Metastasis-free Survival (MFS))From randomization to date of first distant metastasis or death, or last follow-up if alive. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Distant metastases are defined as clinical or radiographic appearance of disseminated disease. MFS rates are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, censoring participants alive without metastases at time of analysis.
Percentage of Participants With Distant MetastasisFrom randomization to date of first distant metastasis or death, or last follow-up if alive at time of analysis. Median follow-up at time of analysis was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Distant metastases are defined as clinical or radiographic appearance of disseminated disease. Distant metastasis rates are estimated using the cumulative incidence method in which death is treated as competing risk and participants alive without distant metastases are censored at last known follow-up.
Percentage of Participants Wtih Local-regional ProgressionFrom randomization to date of first local or regional recurrence or death, or last follow-up if alive at time of analysis. Median follow-up at time of analysis was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Local-regional progression is defined as recurrence within the pelvis including lymph nodes below the iliac bifurcation. Local-regional progression rates are estimated using the cumulative incidence method in which death is treated as competing risk and participants alive without local-regional progression are censored at last known follow-up.
PSA Nadir During First Year of Treatment and Prior to Initiation of Any Hormonal Salvage TherapyFirst year of treatmentWill be compared between the two groups using a two-sample t-test.
Percentage of Participants That Started Salvage Hormonal TherapyFrom randomization to initiation of salvage hormonal therapy or death, whichever occurs first, or last follow-up if alive at time of analysis. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years. Five-year rates are presented.Initiation of salvage hormone therapy (LHRH analogues or non-study anti-androgens) that occurs after completion of SRT. Salvage hormonal therapy rates are estimated using the cumulative incidence method in which death is treated as competing risk and participants alive who have not started salvage hormonal therapy are censored at last known follow-up.
Proportion of Participants With Undetectable PSA (< 0.1) and Non-castrate Testosterone (≥ 50 ng/dl) at One and Three YearsOne and three years
Number of Participants With Grade 3+ Adverse Events Occurring Within 30 Days After the Completion of RTUp to 30 days after radiation therapy, which lasts approximately 7-8 weeks from treatment start.National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0 grades adverse event severity as follows: 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe, 4 = life-threatening, 5 = death related to adverse event. Summary data is provided in this outcome measure; see Adverse Events Module for specific adverse event data.
Number of Participants With Grade 3+ Adverse Events Occurring More Than 30 Days After the Completion of Radiation TherapyFrom the end of radiation therapy (approximately 7-8 weeks from treatment start) to last follow-up. Median follow-up at time of analysis among surviving patients was 5.0 years.National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0 grades adverse event severity as follows: 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe, 4 = life-threatening, 5 = death related to adverse event. Summary data is provided in this outcome measure; see Adverse Events Module for specific adverse event data.
Testosterone Levels3, 6, 9, and 12 monthsTestosterone levels will be reported at this time points.
Number of Participants With Patient Reported Outcomes-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) Severity Score ≥ 3 (or Present) Occurring Within 30 Days After the Completion of RTUp to 5 yearsPRO-CTCAE is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement system developed to evaluate symptomatic toxicity in patients on cancer clinical trials, asking the patient about experience over the last seven days. Scores may reflect worst severity of the symptom (0=None, 1=Mild, 2=Moderate, 3=Severe, and 4=Very severe), frequency of the symptom (0=Never, 1=Rarely, 2=Occasionally, 3=Frequently, 4=Almost constantly), or the symptom's interference with one's "usual or daily activities" (0=Not at all, 1=A little bit, 2=Somewhat, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much). The symptom row title will indicate "Severity", "Frequency", or "Interference". All scores are compared between arms; statistical analysis results are entered for p-values \< 0.05.
Number of Participants With Patient Reported Outcomes-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) Severity Score ≥ 3 (or Present) Occurring More Thant 30 Days After the Completion of RTFrom the end of radiation therapy (approximately 7-8 weeks from treatment start) to two years.PRO-CTCAE is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurement system developed to evaluate symptomatic toxicity in patients on cancer clinical trials, asking the patient about experience over the last seven days. Scores may reflect worst severity of the symptom (0=None, 1=Mild, 2=Moderate, 3=Severe, and 4=Very severe), frequency of the symptom (0=Never, 1=Rarely, 2=Occasionally, 3=Frequently, 4=Almost constantly), or the symptom's interference with one's "usual or daily activities" (0=Not at all, 1=A little bit, 2=Somewhat, 3=Quite a bit, 4=Very much). The symptom row title will indicate "Severity", "Frequency", or "Interference". All scores are compared between arms; statistical analysis results are entered for p-values \< 0.05.

Countries

Canada, United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORFelix Y Feng

NRG Oncology

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

Registered participants were required to undergo PAM50 testing to determine biomarker stratification prior in order to be randomized. Of 311 screened patients, 298 were randomized.

Baseline characteristics

Characteristic
Age, Continuous65 Years
Combined Gleason Score
10
0 Participants
Combined Gleason Score
6
2 Participants
Combined Gleason Score
7
236 Participants
Combined Gleason Score
8
23 Participants
Combined Gleason Score
9
33 Participants
Decipher Score0.68 scores on a scale
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
3 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
148 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
3 Participants
M-Stage
M0
295 Participants
M-Stage
Other
0 Participants
N-Stage
N0
22 Participants
N-Stage
NX
132 Participants
Pam50 Molecular Subtype
Luminal A/Basal/Unknown
89 Participants
Pam50 Molecular Subtype
Luminal B
127 Participants
Pre-RT Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA)0.2 ng/mL
Pre-RT PSA Category
0.5 - 1.0 ng/mL
40 Participants
Pre-RT PSA Category
< 0.5 ng/mL
125 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
22 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
126 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
0 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
141 Participants
Surgical margins
Negative
148 Participants
Surgical margins
Positive
80 Participants
T-Stage
T2
80 Participants
T-Stage
T3
74 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
6 / 1417 / 154
other
Total, other adverse events
134 / 141140 / 154
serious
Total, serious adverse events
8 / 1418 / 154

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 29, 2026