Treatment of localized prostate cancer with intermittent triple androgen blockade: preliminary results in 110 consecutive patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of triple androgen blockade as an alternative to watchful waiting, radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy in the management of patients with clinical stage T1 to T3 prostate cancer.


METHODS
The records of 110 consecutive patients were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were treated with a three-drug androgen blockade regimen, consisting of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (leuprolide or goserelin) plus an antiandrogen (flutamide or bicalutamide) plus finasteride (a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor), followed by finasteride maintenance therapy, as the sole intervention. All patients refused local therapy and had their prostates intact. Determinants of efficacy included serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and disease-specific survival.


RESULTS
Patients were treated for a median of 13 months with triple androgen blockade. At baseline, mean PSA level was 13.2 +/- 1.2 ng/ml (range, 0.39-100 ng/ml), and mean Gleason score was 6.6 +/- 0.1 (range, 4-10). During treatment, PSA levels declined to < or =0.1 ng/ml in all patients, with a median time of 3 months. After a median follow-up of 36 months since initiation of treatment, PSA levels have remained stable in 105 of 110 patients (95.5%). At a median follow-up of 55 months (range, 38-125 months), the mean PSA level for the first 57 patients treated in this series is 1.88 +/- 0.1 (range, 0-11.0 ng/ml). Only 9 of 110 (8.1%) patients have a PSA level > or =4.0 ng/ml. To date, no patient has received a second cycle of hormone blockade.


CONCLUSIONS
Although median follow-up is short, triple androgen blockade therapy followed by finasteride maintenance appears to be a promising alternative for the management of patients with clinically localized or locally advanced prostate cancer. Further study of this approach is warranted.
Leibowitz
R L
RL
Compassionate Oncology Medical Group, 2080 Century Park East, #601, Los Angeles, CA 90067, USA.
Tucker
S J
SJ
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000813:Anilides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018120:Finasteride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005485:Flutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009570:Nitriles; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000813:Anilides; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009570:Nitriles; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; D017273:Goserelin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D018120:Finasteride; D005485:Flutamide; C053541:bicalutamide; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D016729:Leuprolide