title: [Patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Second-line chemotherapy with mitoxantrone plus prednisone].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To date there has been no accepted standard for second-line chemotherapy in docetaxel-refractory patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC). Therefore, we evaluated our experience with mitoxantrone plus prednisone (MP) in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with docetaxel-refractory mHRPC were treated with MP. The parameters under investigation were prostate-specific antigen (PSA) remission, biochemical progression-free survival, and pain reduction under chemotherapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partial PSA remission was seen in two patients, "stable disease" in three patients, and progression in five patients receiving MP. Progression-free survival was 8 months (mean) for patients with partial PSA remission and 2 months (median) for patients with "stable disease." Four of seven patients experienced pain reduction with MP. Grade 4 neutropenia was noted in only 10%. Patients with a decline of PSA under docetaxel and MP had a progression-free survival of 11.5 months (median).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Presently, we see the indication for MP as being second-line chemotherapy in docetaxel-refractory patients with mHRPC who cannot be included in phase II/III studies. Even with only a moderate rate of partial PSA remission, every second patient had an improvement in tumor-related pain. Progression-free survival was prolonged, and the side effects of MP were comparatively low.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Urologie, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany. cthomas@prostatecentre.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hadaschik
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Thüroff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiesner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077143:Docetaxel; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D008942:Mitoxantrone