A prospective trial from July 1976 to September 1980 by the National Prostatic Cancer Project randomized newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer patients to DES 1 mg orally three times daily or orchiectomy; or DES, 1 mg, three times daily, plus cyclophosphamide at 1 mg/m2 iv every three weeks, or cyclophosphamide 1 g/m2 iv every three weeks plus estramustine phosphate (Estracyt) at 600 mg/m2 orally daily in three divided doses. There were 246 patients evaluated for response of 301 entered. These consisted of 83 on the DES/orchiectomy arm, 77 on DES plus cyclophosphamide, and 86 on Estracyt plus cyclophosphamide. Objective response rates, initially evaluated at 12 weeks, were similar among the treatments. However, chemotherapy as used in this study early in the diagnosis of metastatic disease appears to exhibit an improved effect on overall survival compared to hormone therapy alone. Analysis within groups having pain versus no pain at entry revealed a marked advantage after 80 weeks for chemotherapy when pain was initially present and a slight advantage during treatment (throughout follow‐up) when the pain was absent. Median survival times were 92, 91, and 94 weeks, respectively, for the three treatments. The progression‐free interval for responders showed no difference between initial treatments, although nearly one half of the patients are still in remission; hence, further follow‐up will be essential. Side effects were not excessive for the chemotherapy treatment arms and patient compliance was good. This national multicenter trial provides the basis for further testing of chemotherapy agents at an earlier phase for patients with newly diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer.
In this clinical trial of men with advanced prostatic cancer no longer responsive to hormone therapy 189 were randomized to receive estramustine phosphate, methotrexate or cis-platinum. Response evaluations were done in 158 cases. Objective response rates (complete, partial or stabilization of disease) were 34 per cent for estramustine phosphate, 36 per cent for cis-platinum and 41 per cent for methotrexate. Subjective parameters indicated a substantial advantage for pain improvement with methotrexate or cis-platinum over estramustine phosphate. Probabilities of continued response indicated some advantage for methotrexate and median response durations at this time were twice as long for methotrexate (32 weeks) as for cis-platinum (16 weeks), with estramustine phosphate intermediate (23 weeks). Survival rates for the original treatment randomization groups were not different at this time. Side effects of estramustine phosphate consisted primarily of nausea and vomiting and/or anorexia but to a lesser extent than with cis-platinum. These effects were somewhat less for methotrexate, for which the major side effects were stomatitis and leukopenia, as well as hepatic toxicity reflected by elevated serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels. Other side effects of cis-platinum were less than for methotrexate (no stomatitis), except for signs of renal toxicity (elevations in blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine), which were greater. Methotrexate had a relatively high level of activity against metastatic, progressive, hormone nonresponsive prostatic cancer, with side effects that were substantial but manageable.
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