[The factors for continuing docetaxel-based chemotherapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer]

A cohort of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) that were treated with docetaxel (DOC) were retrospectively analyzed in order to examine the factors for continuing DOC therapy. In total, 26 patients treated with DOC at our hospital from August 2007 to August 2011 were recruited into the study. The participants were divided into two groups ; the first comprising 13 patients who received short-term DOC therapy (less than 5 cycles) and the second comprising 13 who received long-term DOC therapy (5 or more cycles). There was no significant difference in the indicators including age, prostate specific antigen level (at initial diagnosis), clinical stage and Gleason score between the groups. Patients with pain or poor performance status were more likely to be found in the short-term DOC group. The Hemoglobin-level was significantly higher in the long-term DOC group. In contrast, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the short-term DOC group. The period from the start of primary endocrine therapy to CRPC diagnosis was significantly longer in the long-term DOC group (p=0.0008). This latter finding suggests that DOC therapy can be continued for a longer time, in CRPC cases which have a long-term response to endocrine therapy, and may be associated with a more favorable survival outcome. However, to validate this suggestion, further investigation with a larger cohort of cases is necessary.