Current and Emerging Immunotherapies for Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer

Despite advances in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treatment, therapies that provide long-term survival are still needed. In 2010, sipuleucel-T was approved for CRPC on the basis of improved overall survival. Recently, new immunotherapeutic approaches have emerged with perhaps the most exciting being immune-checkpoint inhibition. Here, we provide an overview of immunotherapies for CRPC, with a focus on immune-checkpoint inhibition with ipilimumab. We consider how experience with ipilimumab in melanoma might inform future use in CRPC and describe ongoing phase 3 trials. Finally, we discuss the potential for improved antitumor activity when ipilimumab is combined with hormonal or bone-targeted agents.