[Progress in the detection and changes in the treatment of prostatic cancer]

Treatment of cancer of the prostate has been deeply transformed by the advent of D-TRP6-LH-RH. This hormonal agonist does not induce hyperestrogenemia with it's cardiovascular and glandular complications (painful gynecomastia). D-TRP6-LH-RH gives a 74% remission rate. Chemotherapy of cancer of the prostate is not toxic (vincristine, ifosphamide, 5-fluorouracile and pépléomycine); as it gives a 24% remission rate it may be that chemotherapy induces remission in tumors without androgen receptors while D-TRP6-LH-RH is only effective against tumors in which these receptors are present. This implies that assay of androgen receptors now determines the therapeutic indications for cancer of the prostate. Estrogen therapy, even in low doses, does not prolong survival of patients as compared to untreated controls, because of iatrogenic vascular complications. It will therefore be abandoned. As for local therapy, indications should be limited to failures of D-TRP6-LH-RH and chemotherapy.