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Chemotherapy in Prostate Cancer

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Urological Cancers

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Summary

Chemotherapy in prostate cancer is an established treatment only for symptomatic hormone-refractory disease, where it can improve symptoms and quality of life but does not impact overall survival. Its role in earlier stage disease is currently being evaluated. Certainly, advancing chemotherapy may eliminate hormone-resistant clones early, thereby slowing the natural progression of this disease. Of the various cytotoxic agents currently under study, the taxanes show the most promise, combining encouraging PSA response rates with tolerability. Targeted therapies both alone or in combination may also prove effective, especially as we gain insight into prostate cancer at the molecular level and learn how best to use these agents. Phase III well-controlled clinical trials of the most promising regimens will then be needed to define the best regimens available.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Srikala S. Sridhar MD, MSc & Malcolm J. Moore MD

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  1. Srikala S. Sridhar MD, MSc
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  2. Malcolm J. Moore MD
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  1. Faculty of Medicine, Hammersmith Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Jonathan Waxman BSc, MD, FRCP (Professor of Oncology) (Professor of Oncology)

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Sridhar, S.S., Moore, M.J. (2005). Chemotherapy in Prostate Cancer. In: Waxman, J. (eds) Urological Cancers. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-84628-015-X_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-84628-015-X_9

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