Complete Intermittent Androgenic Deprivation in Prostate Cancer: Our Experience

Our study aimed at a retrospective evaluation of clinicAL/biochemical progression in prostate cancer patients treated with intermittent androgenic deprivation (IAD) after a period of continuous cut off (CAD). Methods From 1996 to 2003 40 patients have been screened. 8 (gr.A) with increased PSA after radical prostatectomy (pT2N0M0); 32 (gr.B) had no surgical treatment due to age or other pathologies (Gleason ≤ 8). Patients have been monitored dosing out PSA every 3 months. CAD has been applied for an average period of 40 ± 10 months (med. 36). IAD has been performed by an “off” stage of interruption, alternately with an “on” stage of treatment. The cut-off for the suspension/resumption of therapy has been 0.4 ng/mL of PSA for group A and 3 ng/mL for group B. All patients have been received at least 3 cycles of therapy, each including “on” and “off” stages. Results After an average follow-up of 48 ± 12 months (med. 42) since the beginning of IAD, the progression-free survival has been 100% for group A and 96.8% for group B. The intermediate time of stage “off” during IAD pointed out a progression increment from the first cycle (51.6% gr. A, 46.6% gr. B) to the third cycle (73.5% gr. A, 76% gr. B). Conclusions The study pointed out that the actual average time of pharmacological treatment has been 47% for the period CAD+IAD and 31.5% for IAD only, keeping the PSA always near the nadir. Besides keeping the progression close to 0, we obtained an appreciable saving on the pharmacological costs and an improvement in the quality of life of patients due to the regression of the side-effects of therapy during stage “off”. Nevertheless it is still controversial in the Litterature on the pharmacological procedure to adopt, on the more suitable values of cut-off in PSA and on the timing of monitoring of patients.