A retrospective review of combination chemohormonal therapy as initial treatment for locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate

ObjectiveChemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer reduces PSA levels and enhances overall survival (OS), suggesting that administration in earlier disease stages may be beneficial. If expansion of an androgen-independent clone present during androgen deprivation mediates the transformation from an androgen-dependent to an androgen-independent phenotype, combination chemohormonal therapy would be effective initial treatment for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancers. A retrospective review was conducted to evaluate results.Materials and methodsChemohormonal therapy outcomes were retrospectively evaluated in men with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer seen at our institution between January 2001 and February 2003. Chemotherapy consisted of three 8-week cycles (once weekly intravenous doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 and thrice daily oral ketoconazole 400 mg in weeks 1, 3, and 5; once weekly intravenous docetaxel 35 mg/m2 and thrice daily oral estramustine 280 mg in weeks 2, 4, and 6; and no therapy in weeks 7 and 8). Hormone therapy consisted of hormonal ablation during and after antiandrogen therapy after chemotherapy.ResultsData for 31 men (median age, 63 years [range, 41–74 years]; white, 97% [30/31]) were reviewed. At 1 year, median PSA level had fallen 99.3% (range, 91.7%–99.9%) from a baseline value of 14.3 ng/ml (range, 1.9–497.9 ng/mL). Median time to progression was 34+ months (range, 14–68+ months). Median OS was 56+ months (range, 17–73+ months).ConclusionsCombination chemohormonal therapy for locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer safely and effectively reduces PSA levels and increases OS. We are now testing this approach in a prospective, Phase II randomized clinical trial.