Serum markers as a predictor of response duration and patient survival after hormonal therapy for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.
OBJECTIVE
Prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostatic acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed in 2 large prospective multicenter and multinational trials to assess their correlation with time to progression and overall survival after hormonal therapy for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.


METHODS
A total of 868 patients who underwent medical or surgical castration was randomized to receive an oral antiandrogen (nilutamide) or placebo. The serum markers under study were measured at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 and every 6 months thereafter.


RESULTS
At baseline the strongest predictive factor was serum alkaline phosphatase. Patients with an alkaline phosphatase of 2 or less times normal lived almost twice as long as those with a level of more than 2 times normal (p < 0.0001). The longer survival was observed in patients whose PSA became normal 3 months after initiation of hormonal therapy compared to those whose PSA never reached normal (p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum markers at baseline and during the few months after initiation of hormonal therapy can provide prognostic information for the clinical treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. In addition, the PSA level at month 3 can serve as a surrogate end point in clinical trials.
Smith
J A
JA
Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Lange
P H
PH
Janknegt
R A
RA
Abbou
C C
CC
deGery
A
A
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048289:Imidazolidines; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D007093:Imidazoles; D048289:Imidazolidines; C021277:nilutamide; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D016729:Leuprolide