LHRH-agonist treatment in metastatic prostate carcinoma

Three patients with metastatic prostatic cancer were treated for 10, 6 and 2 months with the potent LHRH-agonist Buserelin (Hoe 766) as a first-line agent. All showed a fall of elevated prostatic acid phosphatase levels (nearly undetectable after treatment in 2 patients) parallel to plasma testosterone with a relief of complaints after 3-4 weeks of treatment. Two patients had an increment of appetite and body weight. In one patient radiological evidence for objective tumour regression was found by CT scan of the prostate (decrease of 41% in prostate volume), skeletal X-rays and bone scan. In this patient plasma alkaline phosphatase showed a transient increase parallel to disappearance of osteolytic bone lesions (indicating new bone formation) followed by a normalization. It is concluded that LHRH-agonist treatment is effective in patients with metastatic prostatic carcinoma in the absence of serious side-effects.