Table of Contents
Prostate cancer that does not respond to hormonal treatment is called hormone-resistant, or hormone-refractory, cancer. Chemotherapy may be used to treat hormone-resistant cancer.
Chemotherapy drugs for prostate cancer include docetaxel (Taxotere), mitoxantrone (Novantrone), estramustine (Emcyt), and various platinum-based drugs, such as carboplatin. These drugs are often combined with other cancer drugs (such as 5-fluorouacil) or corticosteroids (such as prednisone).
Docetaxel-based drug regimens, such as docetaxel in combination with prednisone, are emerging as the main chemotherapy treatment for hormone-refractory prostate cancer. They may help extend survival time by several months. Side effects can be serious and may include gastrointestinal problems (nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea), fatigue, low blood cell counts, and increased risk for blood clots.
Cabazitaxel (Jevtana) is a new chemotherapy drug recently approved for patients whose condition has worsened during or after treatment with docetaxel. It is used in combination with prednisone. Side effects are similar to those of docetaxel.
Other Drug Treatments for Prostate Cancer
Alternatives to Hormone Therapy. If patients do not respond to standard hormonal medications, other drugs may be tried. They include estrogen therapy and ketoconazole (Nizoral), an anti-fungal drug that blocks testosterone production.
Prostate Cancer “Vaccine”. In 2010, the FDA approved a new type of treatment for select men with advanced prostate cancer. Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) is a cancer “vaccine”. Unlike typical vaccines, it does not prevent disease. Instead, it uses the patient’s own immune system to fight the cancer. Each vaccine is individually manufactured by obtaining a patient’s immune cells from his blood. The cells are then exposed to a special type of protein and infused back into the patient. In clinical trials, Provenge extended survival time by an average of four months. Side effects ranged from mild (chills, fatigue, fever, nausea, joint and muscle aches) to severe (stroke).
Review Date: 07/26/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine,
Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
