RAD001 and Bicalutamide for Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer

Bicalutamide, an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, is frequently used as the first 'secondary hormonal therapy' in combination with another established agent (LHRH: luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist/antagonist) to treat CRPC. A series of studies have shown that RAD001 through inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has antitumor and anti-angiogenic activities. The hypothesis is that the combination of an antiandrogen and mTOR inhibitor would have additive and clinically significant effects in CRPC. STATISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The regimen will be considered promising if the rate of response/favorable outcome is 40% or greater. A rate of 20% (similar to that observed for bicalutamide alone) will not be considered worthy of further study. 38 patients (of whom 36 are assumed to be eligible) will be accrued to the study. If 11 or more patients have a favorable outcome (stable disease \> 6 months or response), the combination will be considered worthy of further study. Given this design, there is a 9% probability of declaring the combination effective if the true favorable outcome rate is 20% and a 91% probability of declaring the combination effective if the true favorable outcome rate is 40%.