title: Estramustine and vinblastine for patients with progressive androgen-independent adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
abstract: A phase II trial was performed to assess antitumor activity and toxicity of estramustine and vinblastine in 31 consecutive patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer. All patients presented with disease progression following castrate serum testosterone levels of less than 50 ng/dl and were treated for 6 consecutive weeks with three daily 140-mg doses of oral estramustine and vinblastine at 6 mg/m(2) weekly by intravenous bolus. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels decreased by greater than 50% from baseline in 13 (46%; 95% confidence intervals, 27%-66%) of 28 evaluable patients. Patients who demonstrated a greater than 50% reduction in PSA had a longer delay in time to disease progression. Nonhematologic toxicity was mild, predominantly gastrointestinal. Hematologic toxicity was apparent in 13 patients with grade III granulocytopenia and in 7 patients with grade IV granulocytopenia. No patient was admitted to the hospital for neutropenic fever. Estramustine and vinblastine is a well-tolerated combination. This combination and the clinical significance of this decline in PSA warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellerhorst
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Logothetis