Publication
Title
Finasteride in association with either flutamide or goserelin as combination hormonal therapy in patients with stage M1 carcinoma of the prostate gland
Author
Institution/Organisation
Int Prostate Hlth Council Trial Study Grp
Abstract
BACKGROUND. It was very reasonable to consider that the combination of the 5 alpha-reductase, finasteride, and a pure antiandrogen such as flutamide should provide an effective form of maximal androgen blockade (MAB). Finasteride decreases intraprostatic levels of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and the antiandrogen would restrain the biological action of the residual DHT by interfering with its association with androgen receptor. This form of MAB should sustain the concentration of testosterone in plasma, thereby maintaining sexual function and reasonable quality of life. In order to investigate this, a randomized multicenter phase II clinical trial of patients with untreated M1 cancer of the prostate was developed and undertaken. METHODS. Patients were randomly allocated to one of three treatment schedules: 1) goserelin, 3.6 mg, s.c., monthly in combination with flutamide, 250 mg., t.i.d. and a placebo, daily, in the image of 2 x 5 mg finasteride; 2) goserelin, 3.6 mg., s.c., monthly in combination with finasteride, 10 mg (2 x 5 mg, daily) and a placebo (t.i.d.) in the image of flutamide; and 3) finasteride, 10 mg (2 x 5 mg, daily) in combination with flutamide (250 mg, t.i.d.). The reduction in concentration of serum PSA at 24 weeks was the endpoint of interest. RESULTS. Baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of the patients in the three groups were very similar. There was a substantial decrease in levels of PSA in the three groups prior to the end of the study, the percent decrease in the groups being: 1) goserelin and flutamide combination, 99.1% (95% Confidence interval (CI), 97.7, 99.6), 2) goserolin and finasteride combination, 98.75% (95% CI, 97.1, 99.5); and 3) finasteride and flutamide combination, 97.6%, 95% CI, 94.5, 98.9). in the Generalized linear model (GLM) analysis, there was no center by treatment group interaction (P = 20), and there were no significant differences between centers (P = 0.059) nor among the three treatment groups (P = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS. The decrease in levels of PSA in such a group of patients with M1 cancer of the prostate over a 24-week period was surprisingly large, and the differences in these decreased levels between the three treatment arms were remarkably small. There were no apparent differences in bone scan scores, World Health Organization (WHO) performance status, and pain scores between the arms. With regard to sexual function associated with quality of life, there were the understandable difficulties of data collection from patients treated with goserelin. Prostate 40:105-214, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The prostate. - New York, N.Y.
Publication
New York, N.Y. : 1999
ISSN
0270-4137
DOI
10.1002/(SICI)1097-0045(19990701)40:2<105::AID-PROS6>3.0.CO;2-9
Volume/pages
40 :2 (1999) , p. 105-114
ISI
000081024300006
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 01.03.2012
Last edited 24.01.2023
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