title: Weekly epidoxorubicin therapy in hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer.
abstract: In a pilot trial, we treated thirty-three hormone resistant metastatic prostate cancer patients with a combination of androgen blockade plus weekly cytotoxic therapy and determined both response and toxicity in 32 of them. Their median Karnofsky performance status at the time of entry was 65. We administered Epidoxorubicin (EpiDx) intravenously, at a dose of 35 mg/m2, every week for 4 months. Initially, all patients had only hormonal therapy and chemotherapy was added once they progressed. In terms of W.H.O. criteria, 9 patients (28%) had a partial response, the disease was stable in 14 (44%), and progressive in 9 (28%); even in this last group, 6 patients with bone metastases experienced lasting relief from pain. No patients had to interrupt treatment due to leukopenia or cardiotoxicity. Other toxicities, including nausea and vomiting, mucositis and alopecia, were mild. Pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in 26 patients (81%) after treatment. In our view, weekly EpiDx administration serves as an active regimen in hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Departement of Internal Medicine, Oncological Day Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbagli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bellesi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Loro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mottola
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nicita
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palminteri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ponchietti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raugei
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intini
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin; D004317:Doxorubicin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen