Benefits of combination therapy with flutamide in patients relapsing after castration

Two hundred and nine patients with biopsy-proven stage D2 prostatic carcinoma showing disease progression after orchiectomy or treatment with DES (stilboestrol) or an LHRH agonist alone received combination therapy with the pure antiandrogen flutamide. In patients treated with DES, the oestrogen was replaced by the LHRH agonist [D-Trp6]LHRH ethylamide. The objective response to therapy was assessed according to the criteria of the US NPCP. Thirteen patients had a complete response to treatment, while partial and stable responses were achieved in 20 and 39 patients respectively (total objective response rate of 34.5%). The mean duration of response was 24 months. In the non-responders the median survival was 8.1 months with a 17% probability of survival at 2 years; the probabilities of survival at 2 years of the patients who showed partial and stable responses were 87 and 67% respectively. All patients who achieved a complete response are still alive. Combination therapy with Flutamide and castration (surgical or LHRH agonist) appears to be the treatment of choice for prostate cancer patients in relapse after standard endocrine therapy.