title: [Low-dose docetaxel in combination with dexamethasone for hormone-refractory prostate cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Efficacy and tolerability of docetaxel-based chemotherapy against hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has been shown lately. The objective of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose docetaxel in combination with dexamethasone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients, with a median age of 69.5 years (range 54-85 years), diagnosed with HRPC were administered a treatment regimen consisting of docetaxel (60-80 mg/body or 50 mg/m2) once every 3 or 4 weeks and dexamethasone 1 mg daily at our institution between November, 2004 and March, 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients received a median of 11.5 cycles of treatment (range, 2-35 cycles). Eleven of 16 patients (68.8%) had a > or = 50% decrease in serum prostate-specific antigen. The median progression-free survival and overall survival times were 7.1 and 20.3 months, respectively. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred only in 2 patients. Infective endocarditis, gastrointestinal or cerebral hemorrhage, and compressive fracture were occurred in each patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of low-dose docetaxel every 3-4 weeks and dexamethasone daily was effective and well tolerated in patients with HRPC. However, it is necessary to pay continuous attention to side effects due to the frequent presence of comorbid diseases particularly in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime.
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Noriyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Toyokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Takayasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Tadahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kikugawa
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Nozomu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanji
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D003907:Dexamethasone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen