Oct 10 (Reuters) - Pfizer ( PFE ) said on Thursday a

combination of its drugs, Talzenna and Xtandi, helped prolong

the lives of patients with a type of advanced prostate cancer in

a late-stage study.

The drug combination showed a significant improvement in the

overall survival in patients with metastatic

castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) regardless of the

presence of a mutation, compared to Xtandi alone, Pfizer ( PFE ) said.

Overall survival indicates the period of time patients lived

after their diagnosis or the start of treatment.

mCRPC is an advanced stage of the disease where the cancer

has spread to other parts of the body and is usually associated

with poor prognosis. About 10%-20% of prostate cancer patients

develop mCRPC within 5 to 7 years of diagnosis, according to

Pfizer ( PFE ).

The Talzenna-Xtandi combination was approved by the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration last year to treat mCRPC patients

with a type of genetic mutation.

Pfizer ( PFE ) said it plans to share the results with global health

authorities to potentially update Talzenna's label.

The FDA had also approved AstraZeneca's Lynparza in

combination with hormone therapy abiraterone last year to treat

mCRPC patients with a type of mutation.