title: Combined androgen blockade: an update.
abstract: The use of combined androgen blockade therapy in prostate cancer management remains controversial. This article reviews the effect of the different non-steroid androgens in blocking androgen-independent activation of the androgen receptor in the androgen-depleted environment, and the potential benefit of bicalutamide in comparison to the first generation of anti-androgens (flutamide and nilutamide). An estimate of the benefit of combined therapy with bicalutamide suggests there is a high probability that bicalutamide 50 mg as combined therapy provides a survival advantage over castration alone. This treatment must be balanced against the potential for an increase in side-effects and a consequent adverse effect on the patient's quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M4N 3M5, Canada. Laurence.klotz@sw.ca
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klotz
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000813:Anilides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014105:Tosyl Compounds
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000813:Anilides; D009570:Nitriles; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; C053541:bicalutamide