Abstract
BACKGROUND
Patients with T~3~ and/or N~1~ prostate carcinoma have poor cure rates. The authors sought to improve the relapse free, cancer specific survival of these patients by adding chemohormonal therapy to radiation.
METHODS
Twenty five men with clinical Stage III positive seminal vesicles or positive nodes received six courses of vinblastine, doxorubicin, and mitomycin with simultaneous radiation and permanent androgen deprivation. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing was the sole criterion for relapse. Median followup was 10.5 years.
RESULTS
Treatment was well tolerated. Patients received 91β95% of each drug and all planned radiation. At 10 years the cumulative relapse free rate determined by continuously undetectable PSA levels was 73%, and the cumulative cancer specific survival was 81%. Of nodeβpositive patients, 82% were relapseβfree at 10 years.
CONCLUSIONS
The addition of chemotherapy to hormonal and radiation therapy is feasible and is accepted by most men when they are openly informed of their prognosis with conventional therapy. Results in the current small series appear excellent and may be superior to radiation plus hormones alone. Larger randomized studies are warranted. Cancer 2002; 94:2728β32. Β© 2002 American Cancer Society.
DOI 10.1002/cncr.10527