title: Is there a standard chemotherapeutic regimen for hormone-refractory prostate cancer? Present and future approaches in the management of the disease.
abstract: Prostate cancer that no longer responds to hormonal manipulation can be defined as hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Until recently, there has been no standard chemotherapeutic approach for hormone-refractory prostate cancer. The major benefits of chemotherapy in the treatment of the disease are palliative in nature, in terms of reduction of pain and use of analgesics and improvement of performance status, as followed in the most recent trials. Phase III studies are necessary to better evaluate the efficacy of the different regimens, because several old studies suffer for methodological deficits. There is a promising activity of new drug combinations, such as vinca alkaloids and taxanes. Phase I and II trial are testing combinations of classic chemotherapeutic agents and biologic drugs, and the first results appear interesting. In this article, recent advances in the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer using chemotherapeutic regimens are critically reviewed.
authors: Department of Oncology, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Di Lorenzo
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Autorino
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: De Laurentiis
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Bianco
authors: Rossella
authors: R
authors: Lauria
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Giordano
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: De Sio
authors: Massimino
authors: M
authors: D'Armiento
authors: Angelo Raffaele
authors: AR
authors: Bianco
authors: Sabino
authors: S
authors: De Placido
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D017671:Platinum Compounds