Sun Sep 15 13:36:19 UTC 2024: ## Veracyte’s Decipher Prostate Test Shows Promise in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

**SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.** – Veracyte, Inc., a leading cancer diagnostics company, announced promising new data from the STAMPEDE clinical trial showing that their Decipher Prostate Genomic Classifier can predict the effectiveness of docetaxel chemotherapy in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

This finding, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2024 Congress, strengthens Veracyte’s plan to expand the use of the Decipher Prostate test to patients with metastatic disease, beyond its current application in guiding treatment for localized prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is a significant health concern, causing approximately 375,000 male cancer-related deaths globally each year. The death toll is projected to double in the next two decades. In the US, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in men, with over 35,000 expected fatalities in 2025.

For metastatic prostate cancer patients, adding docetaxel to standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) can extend survival. However, response to the drug varies, and physicians lack reliable tools to determine who will benefit from docetaxel.

The new study analyzed data from 1,523 patients with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer in the STAMPEDE trial, followed for an average of 14 years. The results showed that higher Decipher Prostate test scores were linked to an increased risk of death in all patients. Importantly, within the 832 patients with metastatic disease, only those with higher scores showed a significant survival benefit from docetaxel added to ADT. These patients saw a 36% reduction in death risk compared to those with lower scores who did not experience significant benefit.

This finding is crucial because it indicates the Decipher Prostate test can help clinicians identify patients most likely to benefit from docetaxel, potentially avoiding unnecessary side effects for those who would not respond. Notably, docetaxel proved beneficial in patients with higher Decipher scores regardless of tumor size, challenging current practice that favors docetaxel only in patients with large tumors.

The Decipher Prostate test has already been validated in numerous studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in guiding localized prostate cancer treatment. This new phase 3 data further strengthens its performance and usefulness in the metastatic setting. Veracyte plans to offer the test to patients with metastatic prostate cancer in early 2025, pending Medicare reimbursement.

“We are excited about the new Decipher Prostate data presented at ESMO and the opportunity to advance cancer care for even more patients,” stated Marc Stapley, Veracyte’s chief executive officer. “These advances clearly demonstrate the power of our Veracyte Diagnostics Platform, which delivers high-performing cancer tests and a powerful evidence-generation engine.”

This news underscores the potential of the Decipher Prostate test to significantly impact the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer, improving patient outcomes and streamlining treatment decisions.

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