Treatment for Advanced Prostatic Cancer

Abstract

Recently, there has been a proliferation of experimental and clinical data supporting early androgen deprivation for advanced prostatic cancer, due to the new insights provided by a more thorough understanding of prostate cancer biology. The logn term survival of patients with prostatic metastatic disease will require the development of novel treatment strategies truly effective against anti-androgen-resistant tumor cells and their use in concert with early androgen deprivation. To date, no evidence has been generated in experimental animal or human models of prostate cancer that supports the previous concept of delayed hormonal therapy. The development of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists and the anti-androgens has prompted a resurgence of interest in initial total androgen blockade, and the inhibition of the activity of 5-alpha reductase could provide a safe and effective way to remove prostatic intraepithelial dihydrotestosterone, resulting in a diminishing production of growth factors. The rationale for the use of Sumarin in the treatment of stage D prostatic cancer refractory to conventional hormonal manipulation is its ability to block the activity of several growth factors, including basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), etc. which have been postulated to have important roles in prostatic cell biolgy.