Dr. Pal on the Rationale for Adding Cabozantinib to Atezolizumab in Prostate Cancer

Sumanta K. Pal, MD, associate clinical professor, Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, co-director, Kidney Cancer Program, medical oncologist, City of Hope, discusses the rationale for adding cabozantinib (Cabometyx) to atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in prostate cancer.

The COSMIC-201 study examines the combination of cabozantinib and atezolizumab in many cancer types, but its effect in prostate cancer was recently presented at the 2020 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, explains Pal. Cabozantinib targets MET, AXL, and other targets but also plays a role in modifying the immune system, says Pal.

Several preclinical and clinical papers document the activity of cabozantinib and suggest that it mediates the recruitment and infiltration of inhibitory immune cells within the tumor milieu, according to Pal. Cabozantinib can enhance antitumor immune response alongside drugs, such as atezolizumab, concludes Pal.