title: Estramustine phosphate in secondary hormone-resistant carcinoma of the prostate.
abstract: In this retrospective study, 71 patients with secondary hormone-refractory prostatic carcinomas were treated with estramustine phosphate (EMP), at three different dosages (280, 560, 840 mg orally). All patients were completely followed up until cancer-induced death. In 12 cases of further progression polychemotherapy was administered. As this was not a randomized study, an analysis of statistical significance was not performed. The higher dosages of EMP caused an extended progression-free interval accompanied by an equally considerable alleviation of carcinoma-induced pain. The overall survival time was not influenced by subsequent polychemotherapy. An elevation of liver function parameters was observed in 5 patients. One of these patients died of toxic liver damage, possibly therapy-related, on the basis of a preexisting cirrhosis. Cardiovascular side effects were not observed. With regard to survival time, the positioning of polychemotherapy as a third-line treatment for prostatic cancer should be examined critically. Before administration of high-dose EMP, it is mandatory to control liver functions carefully.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Vienna Medical School, Austria.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hienert
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004961:Estramustine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009588:Nitrogen Mustard Compounds; D004961:Estramustine