The assessment of results following endocrine therapy for prostatic cancer

Generally, recent reports on the side effects of estrogen therapy for prostatic cancer have concerned mortality statistics, relatively little attention having been paid to the quality of life of individual patients. We herein propose an assessment of treatment regimens based on the concept of the time during which a patient remains free of tumor progression or serious side effects. A particular regimen has been examined in relation to the hormonal effects of endocrine ablation, and to the dosage and type of estrogen therapy used in 59 men with prostatic cancer. Although no significant difference among treatment methods has emerged in this small group (except for the more frequent occurrence of fluid retention with the stilbestrol dosage, 30 versus 15 mg. per day) and no correlation between the degree of testosterone suppression and length of remission has emerged so far, this method of assessment proved useful and should be applicable widely. It was confirmed that gonadotropin levels remained in the normal range in patients whose testosterone levels were suppressed with chlorotrianisene.