Dual Drug Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Prostate Cancer

The news on the prostate cancer front seems grim. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer cases rose an astonishing 192 percent from 1973 to 2001. But the news is not all bad. Researchers are investigating new treatments that provide hope to cancer victims.

In a presentation at the June 3 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, physicians from the Barabara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, Mich., found that pairing an oral dose of Xeloda with an intravenous dose of Docatxel significantly improves remission and survival outcomes in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

In a press release, Ulka Vaishampayan, M.D., chair of the genitourinary multidisciplinary team at Karmanos, says, "This combination appears extremely effective. We had wheelchair bound patients return to their regular lives. Patients feel so much better and their overall quality of life improves dramatically."

Seventy-three percent of patients that received the combination therapy had at least a 50 percent drop n their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, while almost 30 percent saw a 90 percent drop. In comparisons, those patients that receive single drug therapy see a 45 percent drop in their PSA levels.

According to Dr. Vaishampayan, the drug combination is well-tolerated and is suitable for severely ill and elderly patients.

According to research by the American Cancer Society, one in six men will develop prostate cancer, and one in 33 men will die of prostate cancer. In men over 85, prostate cancer is more deadly than heart disease. Only lung cancer kills more men.

Prostate cancer is easily treatable if caught early. Most men that are diagnosed with the disease live at least 15 years after diagnosis. Possible signs of prostate cancer can include trouble urinating, frequent urinating, painful or burning urination, blood in the urine and painful ejaculation.

Prostate cancer risks climb with age, and research suggests a diet high in animal fat may also contribute to increased risk of prostate cancer. High levels of testosterone have also been shown to increase prostate cancer risk. Certain vitamins and other compounds, such as isoflavonoids, vitamins D and E and lycopene, may reverse, prevent or slow cancer growth, but more studies are needed to determine the extent of the benefots.

Shanthi Marur, M.D.,the lead author of the research abstract, received the ASCO merit award for the paper. The ASCO presents merit awards to research fellows in training who are first authors in abstracts submitted for consideration.

Sources: Press Release: Chemotherapy Combination Shows Benefits for Prostate Cancer Patients
American Cancer Society: What is Prostate Cancer?