title: Transdermal oestrogen therapy as a second-line hormonal intervention in prostate cancer: a bad experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare transdermal oestrogen with oral diethylstilbestrol (DES) as a second- or third-line hormonal therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 32 assessable patients who, having already had a relapse on at least one line of hormonal therapy, received transdermal oestrogen therapy as an alternative to oral DES, when DES became unavailable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas DES had controlled the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level for a median of 29 weeks in a group of 15 patients in remission, all but one had an increase in PSA level (median 86% increase above the starting PSA level) within a median of 8 weeks after introducing transdermal therapy. This increase was reversed in seven of the 12 patients who recommenced DES therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the use of transdermal oestrogen is currently attracting enthusiasm as a first-line treatment for prostate cancer, these results show that for second- or third-line therapy further cautious research with careful monitoring is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Department, University College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sandhir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kandola
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anyamene
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harland
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D004958:Estradiol; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen