Phase II trial of GM-CSF in advanced prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Prostate-specific antigen only disease progression following definitive therapy is significant therapeutic dilemma. The benefit of hormonal therapy remains unproven and is associated with significant toxicity, more pronounced with chronic use. Biochemical progression following hormonal therapy has no standard treatment. New approaches to the management of this subset of patients are needed. A previous study in advanced prostate cancer demonstrated biologic activity of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor in a less heavily pretreated population.


METHODS
Sixteen patients with advanced prostate cancer, 7 hormonally naïve, and 9 androgen independent, were treated with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor administered subcutaneously at 250 microg three times a week for up to 6 months. Prostate-specific antigen measurements were obtained every 2 weeks.


RESULTS
No patient achieved an objective response. Six patients demonstrated a 10-15% decline in their baseline prostate-specific antigen which was maintained during the entire treatment period. Five of these 6 patients demonstrated a rise in their prostate-specific antigen following study completion. Therapy was well tolerated, with only 1 grade 3 event which was not treatment-related.


CONCLUSIONS
Granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor demonstrates modest biologic evidence of activity in prostate cancer as manifested by prostate-specific antigen response. Further investigation of the mechanism of activity and additional clinical evaluation of this agent seems warranted.
Dreicer
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Department of Hematology/Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. Dreicer@ccf.org
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Klein
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D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen