5-Alpha Reductase 2 as a Marker of Resistance to 5ARI Therapy
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04288427 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : February 28, 2020
Last Update Posted : March 14, 2023
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Prostate Hyperplasia Prostate Disease Prostate Hypertrophy Prostate Pain Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Urinary Obstruction Urinary Tract Disease | Drug: Finasteride | Not Applicable |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 120 participants |
Allocation: | N/A |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | 5-Alpha Reductase 2 as a Marker of Resistance to 5ARI Therapy |
Actual Study Start Date : | September 25, 2020 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | November 30, 2024 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | April 30, 2025 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Finasteride Treatment
Patients who are eligible will be given 5ARI therapy, Finasteride, for medical management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms. Only patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) as assessed by American Urologic Association (AUA) urinary symptom score > than 8, (suggestive of moderate LUTS) prostate size > 40cc, no prostate nodule/tenderness/firmness and increased PSA between 4-10ng/ml requiring prostate biopsy will be enrolled. Then, they will have prostate MRIs/needle biopsies and blood/urine collection followed by treatment with Finasteride (standard of care). They will be followed in urology clinic for assessment of LUTS every 6 months and Finasteride responsiveness at the 12-month time point. Prostate biopsy samples will be evaluated for SRD5A2 gene expression/methylation, hormonal androgen/estrogen levels (which will be repeated in blood samples). Prostate MRIs will assess size/inflammatory changes at the start and 3-year time points.
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Drug: Finasteride
Patients who are candidates to receive 5ARI therapy, Finasteride, for clinical medical management of lower urinary tract symptoms will begin treatment once deemed eligible. They will be assess every 6 months for changes in urinary symptom scores and their responsiveness to the Finasteride treatment will be assessed at the 12-month time point. MRIs of prostate taken at the start of study and at the 3 year time point will assess prostate size and changes in size as well as degree of inflammatory changes. Gene expression of SRD5A2 as well as methylation pattern will be tested on prostate tissue samples, where hormonal androgen/estrogen levels will also be assessed as they are in blood samples.
Other Name: Sequential Time Point Study |
- Finasteride treatment effect on lower urinary tract symptom improvement by urinary symptom score [ Time Frame: Assessment of Finasteride responsiveness through changes in urinary symptoms will be completed at 6 month intervals during clinic visits, and treatment efficacy will be determined after the first 12 months. ]Validated questions of the AUA Urinary Symptom Score will be used every 6 months to assess efficacy of Finasteride treatment in improving lower urinary tract symptoms in the patient population. Based on previous randomized trials, it will be determined whether the patient is responsive or resistant to the treatment dependent on changes in their AUA Urinary Symptom Score at the first 12 month mark. For patients who are resistant to Finasteride, other medical or surgical treatments will be offered, and the patients will be removed from the study.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 50 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | Male |
Gender Based Eligibility: | Yes |
Gender Eligibility Description: | Prostatic disease are limited to biologically male individuals. |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male (physiological);
- Age ≥ 50;
- Eligible for treatment with 5ARI therapy;
- Presence of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to BPH;
- Prostate size >40cc by digital rectal examination;
- Absence of prostate nodule, tenderness or firmness;
- Mildly elevated PSA's >1.5 ng/ml and ≤ 40 ng/ml;
- Undergoing clinically indicated prostate biopsy for elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of any prostatic malignancy or precancerous lesions (atypical glandular foci and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia);
- Treatment with 5ARI (Finasteride or Dutasteride) within six months of study enrollment;
- Current urinary tract infection;
- Previous pelvic radiation;
- Previous treatment with demethylating drugs;
- Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, neurological deficits in the judgment of the investigator;
- Unable or unwilling to undergo MRI due to implants, claustrophobia, etc.

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04288427
Contact: Abigail Escobar, BS | 617-903-0153 | aescoba2@bidmc.harvard.edu | |
Contact: Christopher Mistretta, RN | 617-632-8432 | cmistret@bidmc.harvard.edu |
United States, Massachusetts | |
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Recruiting |
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02215 | |
Contact: Chris Mistretta, RN 978-821-0889 cmistret@bidmc.harvard.edu | |
Contact: Abigail Escobar, B.S. 617-903-0153 aescoba2@bidmc.harvard.edu | |
Principal Investigator: Aria Olumi, MD |
Principal Investigator: | Aria F. Olumi, MD | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
Responsible Party: | Aria F. Olumi, MD, Principal Investigator; Chief of Urologic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Janet & William DeWolf Professor of Surgery/Urology at Harvard Medical School; American Urological Association Chair of Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT04288427 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2020P000202 R01DK124502 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | February 28, 2020 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 14, 2023 |
Last Verified: | March 2023 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.: | No |
Finasteride 5 Alpha Reductase |
Prostatic Hyperplasia Prostatic Diseases Urologic Diseases Hyperplasia Hypertrophy Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Pathologic Processes Genital Diseases, Male Genital Diseases Urogenital Diseases Male Urogenital Diseases Pathological Conditions, Anatomical |
Urological Manifestations Female Urogenital Diseases Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications Finasteride 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors Steroid Synthesis Inhibitors Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Hormone Antagonists Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Physiological Effects of Drugs Urological Agents |