Orchidectomy versus Zoladex plus Eulexin in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (EORTC 30853)

A total of 327 patients with metastatic prostate cancer have been randomized to either orchidectomy or treatment with goserelin (Zoladez) 3.6 mg depot preparation combined with flutamide (Eulexin) 250 mg t.i.d. in a phase III study (EORTC 30853). A small but statistically significant difference in time to subjective and objective progression of disease was found in favour of the combination treatment. However, time from objective progression to death was longer in the group initially allocated to orchidectomy. Thus no difference was found in overall survival between the two treatment groups. The clinical significance of these differences requires further follow up and analysis.