Quality of life and pain relief during treatment with calcitriol and docetaxel in symptomatic metastatic androgen-independent prostate carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The current study evaluated the analgesic activity and impact on quality of life (QOL) of a new chemotherapy regimen of calcitriol and docetaxel in men with androgen-independent prostate carcinoma.


METHODS
Analgesic response was defined as a 2-point reduction on the Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scale (or compete relief if baseline PPI was 1) without an increase in analgesic use or a 50% decrease in analgesic medication use without an increase in pain, maintained for > or = 4 weeks. Pain, pain medication consumption, and QOL (measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30) were evaluated every 4 weeks.


RESULTS
Treatment resulted in an analgesic response in 14 of 29 evaluable patients (48%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 30-67%). The median time to symptomatic progression in the 14 patients who met criteria for analgesic response was 41 weeks (95% CI, 26-56 weeks). Worsening in physical and role functioning, fatigue, appetite, and global health status and improvement in constipation were detected using the QLQ-C30 QOL questionnaire.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant analgesic activity was demonstrated, although worsening in several QOL domains was observed in a patient population with relatively low pain intensity (median PPI, 2).
Beer
Tomasz M
TM
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland 97239, Oregon, USA. beert@ohsu.edu
Eilers
Kristine M
KM
Garzotto
Mark
M
Hsieh
Yi-Ching
YC
Mori
Motomi
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D043823:Taxoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000700:Analgesics; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D002117:Calcitriol