Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government

An Investigational Scan (HP 13C MRI) for Assessing Response to Treatment with Abiraterone Acetate and Prednisone prior to Surgery in Patients with High-Risk Prostate Cancer

Trial Status: active

This phase II trial studies how well an investigational scan called hyperpolarized (HP) 13C pyruvate (HP 13C) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) works in assessing response to treatment with abiraterone acetate and prednisone prior to surgery in patients with high-risk prostate cancer. Androgens (male hormones), such as testosterone can cause the growth of prostate cancer tumor cells. Abiraterone acetate lowers the amount of androgens made by the body. This may help stop the growth of tumor cells that need androgens to grow. Prednisone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It is used to reduce inflammation and lower the body's immune response to help lessen the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. Giving abiraterone acetate and prednisone prior to surgery may be an effective treatment for high-risk prostate cancer. HP 13C is a drug that is taken up by prostate cancer tumor cells and can be imaged using MRI scans. HP 13C MRI may be effective in monitoring patient response to treatment with abiraterone acetate and prednisone.