Intermittent complete androgen blockade in PSA relapse after radical prostatectomy and incidental prostate cancer

To determine the efficacy, safety and feasibility of intermittent androgen deprivation (IAD) in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse after radical prostatectomy or with an incidental prostate cancer (pT1B) after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Open, nonrandomized, prospective pilot study using the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LH-RHa), leuprorelin acetate (1-month depot) and cyproterone acetate.

Forty-four patients have been enrolled. After a 30-64 months' follow-up no progression to androgen-independent status has been observed. Of the entire observation period, 26.6 months (44-58%) remained treatment-free. During the treatment-free periods, normal testosterone levels were obtained, resulting in a cessation of the symptoms of androgen suppression and an improvement in quality of life.

These results indicate that IAD is an effective and feasible therapy in patients with early stages of prostate cancer. Larger trials are necessary to confirm these encouraging results. Therefore, a European prospective, randomized, multicenter study (RELAPSE study) has been started to compare IAD with continuous androgen blockade in terms of time to tumor progression, safety and quality of life in patients with PSA relapse after radical prostatectomy.