title: High dose epirubicin is effective in measurable metastatic prostate cancer: a phase II study of the EORTC Genitourinary Group.
abstract: 39 hormone-resistant prostate cancer patients with bidimensionally measurable metastatic lesions were given epirubicin 100 mg/m2 intravenously every 3 weeks. One patient was ineligible and excluded from analyses. According to WHO criteria, 9 patients (24%) had a partial response, 16 patients (42%) had stable disease (including 3 patients (8%) with a partial response not confirmed 1 month later), 11 patients (29%) had progressive disease, and in 2 patients (5%) response was not evaluated. Toxicity was as expected. Fifty-five per cent of patients had WHO grade 3/4 toxicity for white blood cells, and 3% of patients grade 3 toxicity for platelets. Other toxicities included nausea and vomiting, mucositis and alopecia. 2 patients with pre-existing cardiac disease developed cardiotoxicity (1 grade 2, 1 grade 3). An attempt was made to correlate response with prostate specific antigen (PSA) measurements. A positive trend was seen, but 2 non-responding patients showed a > 50% decrease in value.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018579:Patient Selection; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015251:Epirubicin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen