leuprolide and nilutamide

To evaluate the long-term effectiveness, side effects and compliance rates of two types of drugs (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone [LHRH] agonist and antiandrogen) that were used individually to treat patients with localized prostate cancer (T1-2) at our institution.. Ninety-seven patients who were diagnosed in the period from April 1997 to January 2000 as having clinically localized prostate cancer (T1-2) received either LHRH agonist (leuprolide acetate 7.5 mg/month) monotherapy (group 1, n = 62) or antiandrogen monotherapy (group 2, n = 35; 18 received bicalutamide 50 mg q.d., 13 received nilutamide 150 mg t.i.d. and 4 received flutamide 250 mg t.i.d.). The mean age in both groups was 76 years.. The mean follow-up time was (50.8 +/- 8.5) months in group 1 and (43.1 +/- 2.2) months in group 2. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels rose in only 1 of the 62 patients (1.6%) in group 1, and in 20 of the 35 patients (57.1%) in group 2. In group 2, 10 of the 20 patients (50%) with increasing PSA levels were treated with LHRH salvage therapy, and eight (80%) responded. Hot flashes (54.8%) and lethargy (41.9%) were the most common side effects in group 1. In contrast, nipple-tenderness (40%) and light-dark adaptation (17.1%) were more often seen in group 2. Only 1 of the 62 patients (1.6%) in group 1 switched to another medication because of adverse side effects; whereas 8 of the 35 patients (22.9%) in group 2 did so.. Unlike antiandrogen monotherapy, LHRH agonist monotherapy provided long-term durable control of localized prostate cancer (T1-2). It can also be an effective treatment option for patients whose disease failed to respond to antiandrogen monotherapy. The limitations of our study are the lack of health outcomes analysis and a small sample size.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Androgen Antagonists; Anilides; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Humans; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Nitriles; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Tosyl Compounds

To assess the feasibility and tolerability of intermittent androgen suppression therapy (IAS) in prostate cancer.. Patients with recurrent or metastic prostate cancer received cyclical periods of treatment with leuprolide acetate and nilutamide for 8 months, and rest periods. Cycles were repeated at progression until the treatment failed to achieve normal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Patients were followed with PSA level, testosterone level, haemoglobin level, weight and bone mineral density evaluations. The median time to treatment failure, recovery from anaemia, or normalization of testosterone level was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.. In all, 95 patients received 245 cycles; the median duration of rest periods was 8 months and median time to treatment failure 47 months. Testosterone recovery during rest periods was documented in 117 (61%) of cycles. Anaemia was mild and reported in 33%, 44% and 67% of cycles 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Sexual function recovered during the rest periods in 47% of cycles. There was no significant overall change in body mass index at the end of the treatment period. Osteoporosis was documented in at least one site evaluated in 41 patients (37%).. IAS has the potential to reduce side-effects, including recovery of haemoglobin level, return of sexual function and absence of weight gain at the end of the study period.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents; Disease-Free Survival; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Middle Aged; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Osteoporosis; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Neoplasms; Testosterone; Treatment Outcome

Intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) has been suggested as a means of attenuating the androgen deprivation syndrome in men with incurable prostate cancer. Laboratory data suggest that intermittent therapy may prolong the duration of androgen dependence.. Since October 1993, 54 patients have entered a Phase II protocol consisting of 8 months of total androgen blockade (TAB) using leuprolide (Lupron) depot and nilutamide (Anandron) followed by an off-treatment interval of variable length. Eleven patients had biopsy-proven local failure after radiotherapy, 4 had biochemical failure, 24 had distant metastases (fewer than six axial sites on bone scan), 11 had combined local and distant failure, and 4 were treated as primary management for nodal disease. Mean prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at entry was 37 ng/mL (range 3.8 to 196). After 8 months of TAB, hormonal therapy was discontinued for those patients whose PSA was less than 4.0 ng/mL and stable or decreasing and was resumed (cycle 2) when PSA increased to greater than 10 ng/mL.. As of April 1 998, mean follow-up was 33 months (range 14 to 53). Patients have completed at least one, and up to five treatment cycles. The mean time to nadir PSA in cycle 1 was 20 weeks, and the mean time off was 35 weeks (31 weeks for those with metastatic disease versus 39 for local or biochemical failure). In cycle 2, the mean time to PSA nadir was 17 weeks, and the mean time off was 30 weeks (28 weeks for metastatic disease and 38 weeks for local or biochemical failure). In cycle 3, the time to PSA nadir was 19 weeks. Full testosterone data are available for 40 patients in cycle 1. Normal levels were achieved during the off-treatment interval in 73% by a mean of 18 weeks (median 9). Testosterone normalization in cycle 2 was achieved in 71% at a mean time of 17 weeks (median 14).. TAB can be used intermittently, and appears to be more appropriate for patients with local or biochemical failure. Testosterone recovery is not universal in the off-treatment intervals. IAS needs to be investigated in a randomized trial to determine the effect on overall survival and quality of life.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms

To evaluate and compare the effects of medical or surgical castration combined with either nilutamide (Anandron) or placebo on symptoms of local tumour progression in men with carcinoma of the prostate.. The results from twin, randomised, prospective, placebo-controlled trials were analysed. 434 patients received nilutamide 300 mg/day for 1 month and 150 mg thereafter, and 434 received a matched placebo from either the day of orchidectomy or the first leuprolide injection. Before treatment, and at months 1, 3, 6 and every 6 months thereafter, urinary obstruction and tumour volume were evaluated. Data on adverse or intercurrent events affecting the urological system were documented.. Before treatment, urinary obstructive symptoms and tumour volume were similar in both treatment groups. After treatment, improvement in urinary obstructive symptoms accompanied a decrease in prostate volume. The majority of men in both treatment groups reported an improvement in obstructive voiding symptoms. However, total adverse events secondary to local symptoms were significantly less frequent in the nilutamide-treated patients (20%) compared with the placebo-treated patients (35%). Only a small percentage of men in both treatment groups had disabling local symptoms and only 2% experienced problems with incontinence.. Local symptoms from primary tumour growth are relatively common in patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate and are favourably influenced by hormonal therapy. In these trials, the problems resulting from local tumour progression were significantly fewer in the group treated with castration plus nilutamide compared with the group treated with castration plus placebo.

Topics: Aged; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Castration; Humans; Hydronephrosis; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Prospective Studies; Prostatic Neoplasms; Urination Disorders

Prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostatic acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were analyzed in 2 large prospective multicenter and multinational trials to assess their correlation with time to progression and overall survival after hormonal therapy for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.. A total of 868 patients who underwent medical or surgical castration was randomized to receive an oral antiandrogen (nilutamide) or placebo. The serum markers under study were measured at baseline and at 1, 3, 6 and every 6 months thereafter.. At baseline the strongest predictive factor was serum alkaline phosphatase. Patients with an alkaline phosphatase of 2 or less times normal lived almost twice as long as those with a level of more than 2 times normal (p < 0.0001). The longer survival was observed in patients whose PSA became normal 3 months after initiation of hormonal therapy compared to those whose PSA never reached normal (p < 0.0001).. Serum markers at baseline and during the few months after initiation of hormonal therapy can provide prognostic information for the clinical treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. In addition, the PSA level at month 3 can serve as a surrogate end point in clinical trials.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Bone Neoplasms; Disease Progression; Disease-Free Survival; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Orchiectomy; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Neoplasms; Survival Rate; Time Factors

Comparative efficacy and safety of 2 LHRH analogues in metastatic prostatic carcinoma.. 68 patients received monthly injections for 6 months (randomization): either subcutaneous leuprolide 3.75 mg LP (n = 36), or intramuscular triptorelin 3.75 mg LP (n = 32). (Flare-up prevention: nilutamide). Parameters re-evaluated at 1.3 and 6 months: centralized assays of plasma testosterone (T), LH and serum PSA; clinical symptoms. Main criterion: proportion of patients with T < or = 0.5 ng/mL.. The percentages of patients with T < or = 0.50 ng/mL was not significantly different between the two groups and were equal to 100 and 90%, 97 and 100%, and 100 and 96% at the 3 study times, for leuprolide or triptorelin, respectively. The difference was significant at 1 month on complementary analysis at the limit of T < 0.30 ng/mL: 86% with leuprolide versus 60% with triptorelin (p = 0.02) and for mean plasma testosterone: 0.16 +/- 0.10 ng/mL versus 0.33 +/- 0.44 ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.02). The clinical subjective efficacy was not significantly different.. Both treatments were effective, although plasma testosterone fell more rapidly with leuprolide. No conclusion about the possible clinical or survival benefits can be formulated. Overall safety was satisfactory.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Drug Tolerance; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Injections, Intramuscular; Injections, Subcutaneous; Leuprolide; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Neoplasms; Testosterone; Time Factors; Triptorelin Pamoate

There is no consensus on the association between the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the risk of developing depression. This study investigated the association between ADT use and the development of depression, outpatient psychiatric services, inpatient psychiatric services, and suicide in a homogeneous group of men with prostate cancer (PC) treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT) after controlling for multiple sources of selection bias.. This was a retrospective, observational cohort study of 39,965 veterans with PC who were treated with definitive RT and were diagnosed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs health care system between January 1, 2001, and October 31, 2015. Exposure was ADT initiation within 1 year of the PC diagnosis. The primary outcome was new development of depression. Secondary outcomes were outpatient psychiatric use, inpatient psychiatric use, and suicide.. During follow-up, 934 patients were newly diagnosed with depression, 7825 patients used outpatient psychiatric services, 358 patients used inpatient psychiatric services, and 54 patients committed suicide. In the multivariable competing risks regression model, ADT was associated with the development of depression (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-1.71; P < .001). ADT was also associated with outpatient psychiatric utilization (SHR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.16-1.27; P < .001). Finally, ADT was not associated with inpatient psychiatric utilization or suicide.. An increase in the risk of depression and the use of outpatient psychiatric services was observed in a large cohort of men with PC who received ADT with definitive RT. These results may provide further evidence for the long-term risks of ADT for psychiatric health in the treatment of PC.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ambulatory Care; Androgen Antagonists; Anilides; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Goserelin; Hospitalization; Humans; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Mental Health Services; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Oligopeptides; Prostatic Neoplasms; Radiotherapy; Retrospective Studies; Suicide; Tosyl Compounds

As androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is increasingly being used in men with localised prostate cancer, our goal was to examine the association between ADT and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).. We conducted a prospective cohort study using records of a large health-care system in California. The study included men with newly diagnosed localised prostate cancer (1998-2008) who initially underwent active surveillance (N=7637) and were followed through 2010. We examined 10 individual CVD outcomes. Cox proportional hazard models incorporated time-varying treatment variables and controlled for race/ethnicity, age, and tumour characteristics, recurrence risk, CVD medication use, and CVD risk factors.. Of the 7637 subjects, nearly 30% were exposed to ADT. In the multivariable analyses, ADT was associated with an increased risk of heart failure (adjusted HR=1.81, 95% CI 1.40-2.32) in men without preexisting CVD. Elevated risks of arrhythmia (adjusted HR=1.44, 95% CI 1.02-2.01), and conduction disorder (adjusted HR=3.11, 95% CI 1.22, 7.91) were only observed among patients with preexisting CVD.. In men with clinically localised prostate cancer who were initially under active surveillance, ADT was associated with a greater risk of heart failure in men without any preexisting CVD. We also found an increased risk of arrhythmia and conduction disorder in men with preexisting CVD. This study provides the basis for identifying high-risk men treated with ADT who might benefit from regular cardiac monitoring and lifestyle modification recommendations.

Topics: Aged; Androgen Antagonists; Anilides; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; California; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cohort Studies; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Goserelin; Heart Failure; Humans; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Neoplasm Grading; Nitriles; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Prostatic Neoplasms; Risk Factors; Tosyl Compounds

Topics: Aged; Androgen Antagonists; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Buserelin; Drug Prescriptions; Flutamide; Humans; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Satisfaction; Prostatic Neoplasms; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Survival Analysis

The meta-analysis of maximal androgen blockade (MAB) concluded that there is no survival advantage of MAB over castration alone. However, the results from the largest trials yield conflicting results.. The design and results of three trials were examined.. Most studies were planned to detect an over-optimistic difference in survival and immature data were published. The survival curves show that statistical assumptions are not fulfilled. Excluding from the meta-analysis all trials where a negative impact of disease flare on survival could not be excluded resulted in no difference in survival between MAB and castration.. Trials of MAB should be planned to detect differences of no more than 5-10% in median survival. The analyses should only be carried out on mature data and should take into account the possibility of a negative impact on survival due to disease flare if no anti-androgen has been given initially with an LH-RH agonist.

Topics: Androgen Antagonists; Anilides; Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; Cyproterone Acetate; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Goserelin; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Nitriles; Orchiectomy; Prognosis; Prostatic Neoplasms; Research Design; Survival Analysis; Tosyl Compounds; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Aged; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms

Topics: Androgen Antagonists; Buserelin; Flutamide; Goserelin; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Orchiectomy; Prostatic Neoplasms

In conclusion, the intergroup study in the US, as well as preliminary results of the Anandron and leuprolide study, would support the view that combined androgen blockade is better than monotherapy in achieving clinical responses, prolonging the time to progression, and improving the survival rate. This improvement in survival rate is not a huge advance but is a step in the right direction. Future clinical trials are needed to evaluate newer methods to improve survival rates. The results also open up the possibility of employing this combined androgen blockade in earlier stages of prostate cancer in order to delay progression of the cancer and perhaps improve patient survival. Only carefully constructed clinical trials will be able to answer these questions.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Androgen Antagonists; Antineoplastic Agents; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Humans; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Middle Aged; Orchiectomy; Prostatic Neoplasms

From a large number of potentially effective androgen withdrawal regimens including bilateral orchiectomy, estrogens, antiandrogens and LHRH agonists alone or in combinations, we compared the ability of 12 different treatment options to mimic the acute results of surgical castration on the rat prostate. Agents were administered s.c. in clinical doses to groups of male rats daily for three days. On day 4 the prostatic tissue was removed and analyzed by conventional methods for whole-tissue and nuclear concentrations of dihydrotestosterone, nuclear androgen receptor and cytoplasmic androgen receptor. Castration-like changes were most pronounced with the synergistic combinations of cyproterone acetate + low-dose diethylstilbestrol, and megestrol acetate + low-dose diethylstilbestrol. Comparing the effectiveness of single agents, low-dose diethylstilbestrol was superior to cyproterone acetate, megestrol acetate, flutamide, leuprolide and RU23908. Leuprolide combined with flutamide was superior to leuprolide + cyproterone acetate, leuprolide + cyproterone acetate + low-dose diethylstilbestrol or leuprolide + RU23908 after three days of administration; however, this advantage disappeared when the treatments were extended to seven days. The observations indicate that the most potent androgen withdrawal therapies such as cyproterone acetate + low-dose diethylstilbestrol and megestrol acetate + low-dose diethylstilbestrol at best approximate but do not surpass the early effects of surgical castration. During the same time course, other regimens are characterized by a slower onset of action and a lesser degree of suppression of androgenic mechanisms within the cell.

Topics: Anilides; Animals; Cyproterone; Cyproterone Acetate; Diethylstilbestrol; Dihydrotestosterone; Flutamide; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Imidazoles; Imidazolidines; Leuprolide; Male; Megestrol; Megestrol Acetate; Orchiectomy; Prostate; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Androgen