Docetaxel, with or without estramustine phosphate, as first-line chemotherapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer: results of a multicentre, randomized phase II trial

Gösta Jönsson (1909-1978): A pioneer in the hormonal treatment of prostate cancer in Sweden

Treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer is and has been a challenge. In 1957, the chemist Imre Könyves came to Sweden as a refugee from Hungary and started to work at AB Leo, a pharmaceutical company in Helsingborg. In 1961, he started to synthesize compounds where the oestrogens were linked to a mustard group by a carbamate. This resulted in estramustine phosphate, which was initially tested against mammary cancer with disappointing results. He then started a cooperation with urology professor Gösta Jönsson, Head of the Department of Urology at the Lund University Hospital, to test estramustine phosphate against prostate cancer. Jönsson started clinical estramustine phosphate tests in 1966. His studies were one-armed and consecutive, with a "favourable response" in 83% of previously untreated patients. These favourable results could not be reproduced in later randomized controlled studies suggesting that estramustine phosphate as primary treatment was not better than conventional estrogenic treatment. Conclusions: Even if the results of Gösta Jönsson's studies could not be confirmed, the subsequent randomized studies of estramustine phosphate may hide the desired action of estramustine phosphate in a subgroup of patients. It has still not been elucidated whether estramustine phosphate has effects in this subgroup of patients with ostrogen-resistant prostate cancer.

Incidence of fatigue and low-dose corticosteroid use in prostate cancer patients receiving systemic treatment: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a complex condition that is reported in > 50% of cancer patients. In men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), CRF was reported in 12-21% of patients. Approved systemic therapy against CRPC is commonly administered in combination with androgen-deprivation treatment (ADT) and, in some cases, with daily, low-dose corticosteroids. Importantly, the use of low-dose corticosteroids is associated with multiple negative effects, including reduced muscle mass. On these grounds, we hypothesized that the chronic use of corticosteroids may increase the incidence of fatigue in patients with prostate cancer.

METHODS

We reviewed all randomized trials published during the last 15 years conducted in patients with prostate cancer receiving systemic treatment and we performed a sub-group analysis to gather insights regarding the potential differences in the incidence of fatigue in patients receiving vs. not receiving daily corticosteroids as part of their systemic anti-neoplastic regimen.

RESULTS

Overall, 22,734 men enrolled in prospective randomized phase II and III trials were evaluable for fatigue. Estimated pooled incidence of grade 1-2 fatigue was 30.89% (95% CI = 25.34-36.74), while estimated pooled incidence of grade 3-4 fatigue was reported in 3.90% (95% CI = 2.91-5.02). Sub-group analysis showed that grade 3-4 fatigue was approximately double in patients who received daily corticosteroids as part of their anti-neoplastic treatment (5.58; 95% CI = 4.33-6.98) vs. those who did not (2.67%; 95% CI = 1.53-4.11).

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the need for ad hoc-designed prospective clinical trials to investigate whether the benefits associated with low-dose, daily corticosteroids outweigh the risks associated with corticosteroid-related adverse events such as fatigue.

The efficacy and safety comparison of docetaxel, cabazitaxel, estramustine, and mitoxantrone for castration-resistant prostate cancer: A network meta-analysis

AIMS

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of docetaxel, cabazitaxel, docetaxel + estramustine, mitoxantrone in the management of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

Electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrance Library and Embase were searched for studies published from when the databases were established to January 1st, 2018. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared docetaxel + prednisone (DP), cabazitaxel + prednisone (CP), docetaxel + estramustine + prednisone (DEP), and mitoxantrone + cabazitaxel + prednisone (MP) for CRPC treatment were identified. The network meta-analysis was conducted with software R 3.3.2. We analyzed the main outcomes, including the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, tumor response and severe adverse events (AEs). Ranking of the chemotherapeutic agents was based on probabilities of interventions for each of the outcomes that were performed. The consistency of direct and indirect evidence was assessed by node splitting.

RESULTS

10 RCTs, with 3590 patients, were analyzed. The network meta-analysis results revealed that CP significantly increased OS, PFS, PSA response, tumor response, and severe AEs compared to MP. DP showed similar results with CP except for tumor response, where it showed slight inferiority in effectiveness. DEP was associated with clearly improved outcomes in PFS, PSA response and tumor response compared to those of MP, but this was not the case for OS benefit and severe AEs. No significant difference was detected in DP, CP and DEP except for the outcomes of severe AEs. MP was less effective in survival and clinical benefit, but much safer in safety outcomes than other chemotherapy agents. The probabilities of rank plots showed that CP ranked first in OS and tumor response; DEP ranked first in PFS time and PSA response; MP was the best treatment mode for safety.

CONCLUSIONS

DP and CP survival benefit (OS, PFS) and clinical benefit (PSA response and tumor response) were comparable, as well as their associated AEs. DEP was associated with less survival benefit, similar clinical improvement and more AEs than DP or CP. MP had the lowest survival and clinical benefit but excellent safety than other agents. Based on evidences of current results, we recommended CP as the most suitable chemotherapy agent for CRPC patients, followed by DP, MP as third, and DEP as the last choice. However, considering limitations of our network meta-analysis, additional high-quality studies are needed for further evaluation.

Chemotherapy with or without estramustine for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, increasing relevant studies researched the efficacy of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients using chemotherapy with or without estramustine, in order to assess the efficacy and toxicity of combining estramustine with chemotherapy for the treatment of CRPC.

METHODS

Relevant randomized clinical trials were systematically searched from the databases Pubmed, Embase, and Web of science up to April 1, 2016. Data were centrally extracted and analyzed from the previous studies by 2 independent reviewers. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) with pooled hazard ratios. Secondary endpoints were prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and grade 3 or 4 toxicity using pooled odds ratios. Stata version 12.0 software was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, this meta-analysis identified 9 eligible articles, including a total of 956 patients, who had been accrued between January 1, 1993 and December 1, 2010 and randomly divided into chemotherapy with estramustine and without estramustine. Chemotherapy (with or without estramustine) consisted of docetaxel, paclitaxel, ixabepilone, epirubicin, and vinblastine. Patients who received chemotherapy with estramustine had a better improvement in PSA response rate, comparing those without estramustine (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.20-2.80). However, OS between the 2 groups indicated no significant differences (HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.77-1.05). Besides, these results of meta-analysis showed no obvious differences between these 2 groups in grade 3 or 4 adverse effects, including anemia (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.38-1.57), neutropenia (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.59-1.43), thrombocytopenia (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.19-2.42), nausea (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 0.81-6.72), vomiting (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 0.69-8.51), diarrhea (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 0.93-12.76), fatigue (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.32-1.41), neuropathy (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.21-1.44), allergic reaction (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 0.37-6.84), thromboembolic event (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 0.86-5.51), and edema (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.18-5.95).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicated chemotherapy with additional estramustine increased the PSA response rate. However, OS and grade 3 or 4 toxicity were not improved for these patients with CRPC.

The New Combination Docetaxel, Prednisone and Curcumin in Patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Phase II Study

OBJECTIVES

Favorable phase I results justified this pilot phase II study to assess the efficacy of docetaxel/curcumin in patients with chemotherapy-naive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

Thirty patients with progressing CRPC and a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) received docetaxel/prednisone in standard conditions for 6 cycles in combination with per os curcumin, 6,000 mg/day (day -4 to day +2 of docetaxel). The co-primary endpoint was the overall response rate determined by PSA and target assessments. An ancillary study assessed the seric values of chromogranin A (CgA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE).

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients received the scheduled treatment, 2 progressed and 2 died before the end of treatment. A PSA response was observed in 59% of patients (14% of PSA normalization) and achieved within the first three cycles for 88% of responders. Partial response was reached for 40% of evaluable patients. The regimen was well tolerated, and no adverse event was attributed to curcumin. Twenty patients were 100% curcumin compliant. The PSA level and objective response rate were not correlated with the serum values of CgA and NSE.

CONCLUSION

This study produced additional data on curcumin as a treatment for cancer, with a high response rate, good tolerability and patient acceptability, justifying the interest to conduct a randomized trial.

Intermittent docetaxel chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients

AIMS

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.

PATIENTS & 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.

CONCLUSION

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.

Phase I study of the safety and pharmacokinetics of trabectedin with docetaxel in patients with advanced malignancies

PURPOSE

Combination therapy with trabectedin and docetaxel was evaluated in patients with advanced malignancies.

METHODS

In this open-label phase 1 study, docetaxel (60 or 75 mg/m(2); 1-h intravenous infusion) was given on day 1 of a 21-day cycle in combination with escalating doses of trabectedin (0.4-1.3 mg/m(2) by 3-h intravenous infusion, 1 h after docetaxel) and prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) as primary objective and safety, plasma pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity as secondary objectives were assessed.

RESULTS

Patients (N = 49) received a median of four cycles of treatment. MTD was 1.3 mg/m(2) trabectedin and 60 mg/m(2) docetaxel for patients with limited and 1.1 mg/m(2) trabectedin and 60 mg/m(2) docetaxel for patients with unlimited prior chemotherapy. Dose-limiting toxicities (during cycle 1) included elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and fatigue in patients with limited prior chemotherapy and elevated ALT and febrile neutropenia in those with unlimited prior chemotherapy. The most common drug-related adverse events were nausea (65 %), fatigue (63 %), and neutropenia (53 %). One patient achieved a complete response. Thirty patients had stable disease, and 11 had stable disease for ≥6 months. Pharmacokinetic results for trabectedin plus docetaxel were similar to those previously reported for the single agents.

CONCLUSION

In patients with previously treated, advanced malignancies, the combination of therapeutic doses of trabectedin and docetaxel showed clinical activity and was tolerable with prophylactic G-CSF, with no evidence of clinically important drug interactions.

Chemotherapy plus estramustine for management of castration-resistant prostate cancer: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

Estramustine, an agent with both hormonal and non-hormonal effects in men, is supposed to be effective in treating castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, previous studies have reported conflicting results. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of additional estramustine to chemotherapy.

METHODS

Data sources including PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched to identify potentially relevant randomized controlled trials. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) response, overall survival, and grade 3 to 4 toxicity were analyzed.

RESULTS

Seven randomized controlled trials, a total of 839 patients, were enrolled. The pooled odds ratio for PSA response was 3.02 (95% CI=1.69-5.39, P=.0002); the pooled hazard ratio for overall survival was .95 (95% CI=.80-1.14, P=.58); the pooled odds ratio for nausea/vomiting and cardiovascular toxicity were 3.90 (95% CI=1.05-14.45, P=.04) and 2.22 (95% CI=1.15-4.30, P=.02). No significant difference was detected for neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, fatigue, or neuropathy (P>.05).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this meta-analysis, chemotherapy with additional estramustine increased the PSA response rate. However, it increased the risk of grade 3 or 4 adverse effects such as nausea/vomiting and cardiovascular events, and the overall survival was not improved for castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Taxanes in the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: efficacy and management of toxicity

Androgen deprivation is the therapy of choice in the majority of patients with metastatic prostate cancer. However, a state of castration resistance ultimately occurs after hormone therapy, thus defining metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). mCRPC has historically been considered a relatively chemoresistant tumor. However, due to its ability to improve survival and the quality of life in comparison with mitoxantrone, docetaxel has been established as the standard chemotherapeutic agent for first-line therapy since 2004. Moreover, recent results have shown that the novel taxane cabazitaxel is able to prolong the overall survival of patients with mCRPC previously treated with docetaxel. Even though these taxanes display a favorable toxicity profile, their routine use in clinical practice requires knowledge about the most frequent and distinct adverse events that may result from their administration.

New paradigms in microtubule-mediated endocrine signaling in prostate cancer

Metastatic prostate cancer has limited therapeutic options and has remained a major clinical challenge. Historically, prostate cancer has been widely recognized as a chemotherapy-resistant disease. However, clinical studies with anti-microtubule agents over the past decade have shown important efficacy in improving survival in patients with advanced disease. The favorable outcomes with microtubule-targeted agents have thus rekindled interest in such therapies for the clinical management of prostate cancer. Microtubules are dynamic polymers of tubulin molecules that play diverse roles within the cell. The dynamic property of microtubules is responsible for forming the bipolar mitotic apparatus, the mitotic spindle, that functions to precisely segregate the chromosomes during cell division. Thus, owing to the pivotal role that they play in the orchestration of mitotic events, microtubules provide excellent targets for anti-cancer therapy. Recent evidence also suggests that microtubules play a crucial role in the regulation of endocrine signaling pathways. Interestingly, microtubule-targeted agents such as taxanes not only inhibit cell division but also impair endocrine receptor signaling in prostate cancer. Herein, we provide an overview of the current status of microtubule-targeted therapies that are used in the treatment of prostate cancer and discuss novel mechanisms by which such therapies modulate endocrine signaling in prostate cancer. We also address the emerging roles of microtubule regulatory proteins in prostate carcinogenesis that could serve as attractive targets for prostate cancer therapy and might also serve as predictive biomarkers to identify patients who may benefit from endocrine and/or chemotherapy. This may have important implications in designing mechanism-based and targeted-therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer.

Docetaxel: a review of its use for the first-line treatment of advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer

Docetaxel (Taxotere®) is a well established anti-mitotic chemotherapy agent. Among other therapeutic indications, docetaxel plus prednisone is indicated for first-line chemotherapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Docetaxel every 3 weeks plus continuous prednisone has been standard first-line chemotherapy in CRPC since demonstrating improved survival compared with the previous standard regimen, mitoxantrone plus prednisone, in the phase III TAX 327 trial in 2004. Since that time, docetaxel has been combined with various agents that demonstrated additive or synergistic activity in preclinical studies in an effort to further improve outcomes, but to date, overall survival has not been extended compared with docetaxel plus prednisone. However, several promising agents are emerging with a potential role in docetaxel-based combinations based on efficacy and manageable toxicity, including bevacizumab, dasatinib and atrasentan. In the TAX 327 trial, neutropenia was relatively common in the group receiving 3-weekly docetaxel plus prednisone, but infection was rare. The tolerability of a weekly docetaxel regimen also administered in this trial was not significantly different to that of the 3-weekly regimen, except for a lower incidence of grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. However, weekly or 2-weekly docetaxel administration schedules may have a place in very elderly or frail patients in order to improve tolerability compared with the 3-weekly regimen. In conclusion, docetaxel every 3 weeks plus prednisone remains the optimum first-line chemotherapy for most patients with advanced CRPC until such time that ongoing research with docetaxel and emerging therapeutic agents can demonstrate improved survival.

Weekly low-dose docetaxel combined with estramustine and dexamethasone for Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

A low-dose chemotherapy consisting of docetaxel, estramustine and dexamethasone was investigated for its beneficial effect and feasibility in Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

METHODS

Seventy-two Japanese patients with metastatic CRPC were enrolled to receive docetaxel (25 mg/m(2) on days 2 and 9), estramustine phosphate (280 mg orally twice daily from day 1 to day 3 and from day 8 to day 10) and dexamethasone (0.5 mg orally twice daily) every 21 days.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 72 years and 64 patients (89 %) had ≥grade 1 anemia at entry. The median total number of courses administered was 8.5 (range 1-93). Forty-two patients (58 %) had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline of ≥50 %. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6 and 23 months, respectively. Fifteen patients (21 %) improved and 53 patients (74 %) were stable in their performance status. Of the 40 patients with bone pain, 25 patients (63 %) showed pain reduction. Among 71 patients assessable for their hemoglobin levels, 21 patients (30 %) achieved an increase of at least 1.0 g/dl. Of the 5 patients who terminated treatment because of ≥grade 3 toxicity, 4 patients had pneumonitis and one patient had anemia. Only one patient developed ≥grade 3 neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

The low-dose combination of docetaxel, estramustine and dexamethasone is active and tolerable with beneficial effects on serum PSA levels, performance status, anemia and bone pain in Japanese patients with CRPC. This regimen is a reasonable option for elderly patients with bone disease at risk of hematologic toxicity.

Docetaxel with or without estramustine for estramustine refractory castration-resistant prostate cancer: a single institution experience

BACKGROUND

The significance of combination of docetaxel (DTX) with estramustine phosphate (EMP) in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of DTX with or without EMP and to elucidate the significance of DTX and EMP combination therapy in Japanese EMP-refractory CRPC patients.

METHODS

To compare the efficacy and toxicity of DTX and EMP, we divided CRPC patients, who were confirmed to be resistant to EMP, into the following two groups: group D (n = 28), which included patients treated with DTX (60 mg/m2, once in every four weeks) alone, and group DE (n = 33), which included patients treated with a combination of DTX (60 mg/m2, once in every four weeks) and EMP (twice daily oral administration at 280 mg).

RESULTS

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) response (> 50% decline in PSA) was observed in six patients (21%) in group D and eight patients (24%) in group DE. The median time to progression (TTP) was 12.0 months and 6.2 months and the median overall survival (OS) was 26.4 months and 24.3 months in group D and DE, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of PSA response, TTP, and OS. The incidence of adverse events of grade 3/4 was low in both the groups, and there was no statistical difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Although treatment with DTX at 60 mg/m2 was effective and highly tolerated in EMP-refractory Japanese CRPC patients, the DTX and EMP combination therapy might not exhibit any survival benefit for CRPC patients.

Pharmacoethnicity of docetaxel-induced severe neutropenia: integrated analysis of published phase II and III trials

BACKGROUND

Ethnic differences in drug susceptibility and toxicity are a major concern, not only in drug development but also in the clinical setting. We review the toxicity profiles of docetaxel according to dose and ethnicity.

METHODS

We analyzed phase II and III clinical trials that included a once-every-3-weeks single-agent docetaxel arm. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the significant variables affecting the reported incidence of docetaxel-induced severe neutropenia.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified studies conducted in Asia [odds ratio (OR) 19.0; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.64-99.0] and docetaxel dose (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03-1.13) as independent variables for the incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant difference in the incidence of docetaxel-induced severe neutropenia between Asian and non-Asian clinical studies. Physicians and pharmacists should consider ethnic diversity in docetaxel toxicity when interpreting the results of clinical trials.

Ten years of docetaxel-based therapies in prostate adenocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 2244 patients in 12 randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy can reduce serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and relieve pain in some patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). To improve therapeutic efficacy numerous randomized trials have investigated docetaxel-based combination regimens. The present analysis tries to overcome the statistical limitations of the individual trials and investigates the treatment effects in total and in various combination groups.

METHODS

The Medline, Embase, Cancerlit, and American Society of Clinical Oncology Abstract databases were searched for published randomized placebo-controlled trials evaluating the use of docetaxel-based regimens in patients with CRPC. The outcomes assessed were overall survival, overall response rate, PSA response rate, and adverse effects.

RESULTS

Twelve articles (2244 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. The analysis demonstrates a higher PSA response rate from docetaxel-based combinations when compared with docetaxel alone (relative risk [RR] = 1.16; P = .010). The estimated median survival in docetaxel-based combinations was statistically significantly longer than in the docetaxel-alone group (22.0 vs. 18.4 months; P = .037). Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia as well as grade 3 or 4 thromboembolic events were similar in both arms (overall RR, 0.87 [confidence interval (CI) 0.71-1.07]; P = .20 and overall RR 1.52 [0.79 - 2.90]; P = .21, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The analysis of 12 randomized trials provides evidence in favor of docetaxel-based combination chemotherapy for patients with CRPC and good performance status.

Oncological outcome of docetaxel-based chemotherapy for Japanese men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively review the oncologic outcomes of docetaxel-based chemotherapy in Japanese men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 257 consecutive Japanese patients with mCRPC who were treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy between April 2007 and March 2010. The prognostic significance of several clinicopathologic factors in these patients was analyzed.

RESULTS

In these 257 patients, the median age and serum value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) prior to docetaxel-based chemotherapy were 72 years and 43.0 ng/ml, respectively. Of these patients, 64 (24.9%) and 193 (75.1%) received docetaxel as a weekly (30 mg/m(2)) and 3-weekly (70-75 mg/m(2)) regimen, respectively, and estramustine (EM) was administered in combination with docetaxel in 137 (53.3%). PSA decline was observed in 205 patients (79.8%), including 143 (55.6%) achieving PSA decline ≥ 50%. The median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 4.3 and 25.4 months, respectively. Of several factors examined, univariate analysis identified performance status (PS), PSA value, significant clinical pain, bone metastasis, prior treatment with EM, treatment cycle, and PSA response as significant predictors of OS, of which only PS, significant clinical pain, prior treatment with EM, treatment cycle, and PSA response appeared to be independently related to OS on multivariate analysis. Furthermore, there were significant differences in OS according to positive numbers of these 5 independent risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Oncologic outcomes in Japanese mCRPC patients receiving docetaxel-based chemotherapy is generally favorable, and the risk stratification presented in this study may contribute to precisely predicting the prognosis of such patients.

The use of estramustine phosphate in the modern management of advanced prostate cancer

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Estramustine phosphate has anti-tumour properties and it improves patient outcomes if combined with other chemotherapy agents such as docetaxel. The efficacy of estramustine phosphate in selected patients and its safety profile, provided used with any low-molecular-weight heparin support its use as a second-line treatment in hormone-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES

•  Estramustine phosphate is a nitrogen mustard derivative of estradiol-17β-phosphate and has anti-tumour properties. •  Interest in estramustine has been renewed because of the results of clinical studies showing improved patient outcomes if estramustine is combined with other chemotherapy agents such as docetaxel.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

•  Relevant clinical studies using chemotherapy combinations including estramustine are discussed. •  Efficacy and safety outcomes are summarized.

RESULTS

•  Combination therapy with estramustine and docetaxel can increase PSA response rates, improve quality of life and increase median patient survival compared with chemotherapy regimens that do not include estramustine. •  Although the overall tolerability of estramustine is favourable, its use can be associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events.

CONCLUSIONS

•  The identification of suitable patient groups and the effective management of the risk of thromboembolism with the adjunct of low-molecular-weight heparins support the use of estramustine as an effective second-line treatment strategy in hormone-resistant prostate cancer. •  These promising findings warrant further investigation in a randomized clinical trial.

Impact of docetaxel-based chemotherapy on quality of life of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer: results from a prospective phase II randomized trial

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Data on quality of life during docetaxel treatment in castration resistant prostate cancer was mainly provided by SWOG and TAX327 trials. In the TAX327 trial biochemical response and pain predicted survival, whereas quality of life outcomes did not. In the present study, there were no statistically significant changes in the quality of life scales during treatment except in the case of patients receiving docetaxel and estramustine, who experienced a significant decrease in pain. Our data seem to suggest that patients with a better baseline quality of life (and consequently with fewer symptoms) are more likely to achieve a biochemical response.

OBJECTIVES

• To assess quality of life (QoL) outcomes and pain changes in patients affected by castration-resistant prostate cancer enrolled in a phase II randomized trial of 3-week docetaxel (DOC)-based chemotherapy. • To provide further data to clarify the conflicting published data concerning the impact of DOC on the patients' QoL.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

• QoL outcomes were assessed using the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire. • Pain changes were evaluated by means of the Brief Pain Inventory at baseline and after every two DOC courses. • The patients completing at least two questionnaires (at baseline and before the third course) were considered evaluable.

RESULTS

• In all, 59 patients were evaluable. • Asymptomatic patients and responders had a better baseline QoL than symptomatic patients and non-responders. • There were no statistically significant changes in the QLQ-C30 scales during treatment except in the case of patients receiving DOC and estramustine, who experienced a significant decrease in pain. • There was a progressive improvement in the mean intensity and interference scores of the Brief Pain Inventory.

CONCLUSIONS

• Our data confirm that QoL is generally maintained during chemotherapy. • There is a substantial reduction in pain. • Our results also suggest that baseline QoL may predict treatment response.

Current and emerging treatment modalities for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Docetaxel-based therapy is established as the standard first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), based on results from two landmark Phase III studies. However, prognosis remains poor, with a median survival of less than 2 years. There is no standard of care for patients who progress during or after docetaxel treatment, which represents a real unmet medical need. Several small retrospective studies suggest that patients with mCRPC who responded to first-line docetaxel-based therapy are sensitive to re-treatment, but a survival benefit in prospective randomized trials has not been demonstrated. Epithelial-stromal interactions in the tumour microenvironment appear to play a central role in prostate cancer progression and response to therapy. Recent insights into the molecular mechanisms that underpin prostate cancer progression have allowed the identification of potential therapeutic targets. New agents, including angiogenesis inhibitors, hormone therapies, chemotherapies, bone targeting agents, vaccines and immunotherapies are currently undergoing clinical development in advanced prostate cancer using docetaxel as a backbone. Several Phase III studies have now been completed. Sipuleucel-T prolonged survival compared with placebo in asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic patients with mCRPC. Cabazitaxel plus prednisone prolonged survival in patients with mCRPC who progressed during or after docetaxel-based therapy compared with the active agent mitoxantrone, plus prednisone. Multidisciplinary management and optimization of the role and timing of new agents in this evolving treatment continuum will be critical to maximizing patient outcomes. Identification of predictive markers and better gene expression profiling will be critical to tailoring therapies to individual patients and disease states, whereas validated surrogate markers of overall survival will help accelerate drug approval.

Combination chemotherapy with weekly paclitaxel or docetaxel, carboplatin, and estramustine for hormone-refractory prostate cancer

Paclitaxel (PTX) and docetaxel (DTX) have been reported to be effective for treating hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of weekly DTX (PTX)-based chemotherapy and compare weekly DTX-based chemotherapy with triweekly (once every 3 weeks) DTX-based chemotherapy. We performed a combination chemotherapy on a weekly cycle with an i.v. PTX 100 mg/m(2) or i.v. DTX 30 mg/m(2) (days 1, 8, 15, and 22), i.v. carboplatin (CBDCA) (day 1, area under the plasma concentration time curve = 6), and oral estramustine phosphate 10 mg/kg daily for 10 HRPC patients. In addition, we investigated the patient characteristics and treatment efficacy and toxicity. Among all cases, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decreased by 50% or more in 90% of patients, by 75% or more in 70%, and 90% or more in 40% after chemotherapy. The effectiveness of weekly DTX-based chemotherapy was comparable with previous reports, and we showed no toxicity serious enough to require cancellation of chemotherapy. In conclusion, weekly DTX-based chemotherapy was no less effective and less toxic than triweekly DTX-based chemotherapy for HRPC patients and therefore can be useful as the first-line chemotherapy regimen for HRPC patients, especially the elderly or those with a poor performance status.

Docetaxel and Estramustine for Prostate Cancer

The complexity of cancer chemotherapy requires that pharmacists be familiar with the complicated regimens and highly toxic agents used. This column reviews various issues related to preparing, dispensing, and administering antineoplastic therapy and to the agents, commercially available and investigational, used to treat malignant diseases.

Estramustine plus docetaxel as second-line therapy in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer resistant to docetaxel alone

OBJECTIVE

Although docetaxel (DOC) plus prednisone is currently the treatment of choice for hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC), no standard therapy is available for those patients who progress during DOC treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of estramustine (E) can overcome DOC resistance.

METHODS

Patients who had not responded to DOC in a previous randomised phase II trial received a one-hour intravenous infusion of DOC 70 mg/m(2) on day 2 in combination with oral E 840 mg/day divided into three daily administrations on days 1-5. The primary endpoint was a >50% decrease in PSA; the secondary endpoints were biochemical progression-free survival, overall survival, the objective response rate, and toxicity.

RESULTS

A biochemical response was observed in 52% of the 25 patients evaluable for response. The only grade 4 event was a cerebral stroke that occurred a few days after the administration of the first treatment course. Treatment discontinuation due to worsened compliance was observed in the patients who received a higher cumulative number of courses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the addition of E may be useful in selected HRPC patients resistant to DOC alone.