title: Prostatic cancer--survey of hormonal treatment in Europe.
abstract: Prostatic cancer is often locally advanced or metastatic when diagnosed, making surgical removal and radiotherapy ineffective treatments. Alternative therapy involves androgen deprivation because prostatic cancer is known to be androgen-dependent. Orchidectomy has proved effective but other methods of reducing androgen concentrations have also been developed. Oestrogens have proved effective, as have progestogens, and both steriodal and non-steroidal anti-androgens have been extensively studied. Another possible treatment is the use of inhibitors of androgen metabolism (aromatase and 5 alpha-reductase). Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogues, which act as antagonists or agonists, have been shown to have efficacies comparable to those of other therapies. Adrenal suppression has provided a useful alternative to adrenalectomy, particularly because of the high morbidity rate of surgery in elderly patients. Complete androgen withdrawal using an anti-androgen in association with surgical or chemical castration may be a more superior treatment. Another possible approach is the use of somatostatin analogues, which have been shown to inhibit the growth of animal prostatic cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Regional Hospital, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bono
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robustelli della Cuna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Preti
mesh_terms: D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D045167:Progesterone Congeners