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 Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject: Re-induction of hormone sensitivity after chemotherapy |
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http://advancedprostatecancer.net/?cat=4
January 31, 2008
Re-Induction of Hormon Sensitivity Is Possible After Chemotherapy
The normal protocol when chemotherapy is administered to men who have
androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) is to continue the androgen
deprivation program despite its failure to any longer suppress the
cancer’s growth. A study published by the Department of Medical Oncology,
St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, UK, examined whether it was possible to
re-induce hormone sensitivity in previously castrate AIPC patients by
stopping the blockade during chemotherapy.
This phase II prospective study evaluated the effects of modifying this
normal protocol by stopping the hormone blockade during the administration
of the oral chemotherapy drugs. Forty-three of the fifty-six AIPC patients
who participated in the study were restarted on a hormone blockade of
diethylstilbestrol (DES) and dexamethasone after the regime of
chemotherapy drugs was completed. All patients were castrate at the start
of chemotherapy.
The median overall survival for these 43 patients from the time of
restarting the blockade was 7.7 months (95% confidence interval (CI):
3.7-10.9 months). Sixteen (37%) patients had a 50% PSA response to
treatment, which was associated with improved overall survival (14.0
months vs 3.7 months P=0.003). Eight out of 12 patients who did not
respond to diethylstilbestrol before chemotherapy did so post
chemotherapy.
It does seem possible for re-induction of hormone sensitivity after
chemotherapy. Additional research is needed to both replicate this study
and see if this type of hormone manipulation could also be successful with
other types of blockade drugs.
Published in AIPC.British Journal of Cancer (2008) 98, 22-24.
doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6604051 www.bjcancer.com Published online 8 January
2008. |
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