High-dose ketoconazole therapy in prostatic cancer. A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Estrogen therapy and orchidectomy face contraindications and patient objections for prostate carcinoma treatment.
• There is a need for alternative therapeutic methods to manage prostate carcinoma by lowering serum testosterone levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ketoconazole as an alternative therapy for prostate carcinoma by assessing its efficacy in lowering serum testosterone levels.

Main Methods:

• A total of 19 patients with prostate carcinoma were studied.
• Ketoconazole was administered orally at a dosage of 200 mg every 8 hours.
• Serum testosterone levels were monitored to assess the drug's impact.

Main Results:

• Only 6 out of 19 patients (33.3%) achieved castrate levels of serum testosterone after 7 days of treatment.
• One patient was withdrawn from the study due to nausea and vomiting.

Conclusions:

• Ketoconazole, at the tested dosage, was not consistently effective in lowering serum testosterone to castrate levels in prostate carcinoma patients.
• Higher doses of ketoconazole may be necessary to achieve and maintain the desired testosterone suppression for therapeutic purposes.