title: Intermittent docetaxel chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The intermittent administration of chemotherapy is a means of preserving patients' quality of life (QL). The aim of this study was to verify whether the intermittent administration of docetaxel (DOC) improves the patients' QL.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients received DOC 70 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks for eight cycles. The patients were randomized to receive DOC continuously or with a fixed 3-month interval after the first four DOC courses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study involved 148 patients. There was no difference in QL between the groups receiving intermittent or continuous treatment. Intermittence had no detrimental effects on disease control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although feasible and not detrimental, our results showed that true intermittent chemotherapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients failed to improve the patients' QL.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Department, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Caffo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Re
authors.forename: Teodoro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sava
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buti
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: Fable
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zustovich
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lodde
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perin
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Facchini
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veccia
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maines
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barile
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fratino
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gernone
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Vivo
authors.forename: Giovanni L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pappagallo
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galligioni
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D064129:Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel
keywords: castration-resistant prostate cancer; docetaxel; intermittent chemotherapy; quality of life; randomized trial