Antiandrogen Improves Prostate Cancer Survival in Stage C Patients

NEW ORLEANS--Progression-free survival rates after surgery for locallyadvanced prostate cancer were significantly improved by adjuvant therapywith the antiandrogen flutamide (Eulexin) in a randomized European trial.

In this study, 356 radical prosta-tectomy patients with stage C (T3N0)prostate cancer were randomized to either continuous flutamide (250 mgtid) or no treatment, Manfred Wirth, MD, of the Dresden School of Medicine,said at the American Urological Association annual meeting.

Follow-up data collected every three months showed that tumor progression,defined as tumor recurrence and/or a rise in PSA levels, occurred in sevenflutamide-treated patients and 25 controls. Mean follow-up was 102 weeksamong patients receiving flutamide and 119 weeks in the control group.

Progression-free survival rates in the flutamide group were 97% at twoyears and 90% at four years (relative risk of tumor progression, 0.34).Control group rates--84% at two year and 69% at four years--were significantlylower.

The most common side effects of flutamide were gynecomastia (21%) andnausea (10%), with 21% of flutamide-treated patients discontinuing treatmentbecause of side effects.

"Our preliminary results seem to indicate increased survival anddelayed tumor progression for adjuvant antiandrogenic treatment in stageC prostate cancer patients after radical prostatectomy," Dr. Wirthsaid.

Long-term survival will continue to be monitored for 10 more years,he added. "While we are encouraged by these initial findings, we arecautious in our interpretation of the results," he said.