Prostate specific antigen in as a dynamic model in advanced prostate cancer.
BACKGROUND
Prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) is a prognostic factor after radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy respectively for prostate cancer. However, its role in patients receiving chemotherapy has not been evaluated to date.


METHODS
Thirty patients (pts.) with hormone resistant prostate cancer were enrolled in a prospective phase II study to receive oral Idarubicin. The drug was administered at a dose of 35 mg on day 1 and 8 of each cycle, and treatment was repeated every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
Fully evaluable for response were 26 pts. 13 of these 26 had measurable disease and 3 out of 13 had no change (NC) after therapy. Ten pts. had progression. All 13 pts. with non-measurable disease showed no response. PSA values increased exponentially over time in all pts., except for the 3 pts. with NC, in whom PSA values remained stable. Median PSADT of pts. with a rising PSA was 2.1 months (mean 2.6; range 0.7-6.1).


CONCLUSIONS
PSA levels in pts. not responding to treatment with Idarubicin rose in an exponential fashion similar to pts. who were only on hormonal therapy. PSADT should be evaluated in a larger number of hormone resistant prostate cancer pts. as a possible surrogate endpoint.
Schmid
H P
HP
Department of Urology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Albert-Schweitzer-Strasse 33, 48129 Münster, Germany.
Bernhard
J
J
Semjonow
A
A
Hanselmann
S
S
Hertle
L
L
Maibach
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D006728:Hormones; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D015255:Idarubicin