A pilot study of hydroxyurea in hormone "escaped" metastatic carcinoma of the prostate

Twenty-two patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate no longer responsive to hormonal therapy with stilboestrol 1 mg tds have been studied in a Phase II clinical trial of hydroxyurea 80 mg/kg body weight every third day after discontinuing their hormonal therapy. There was a partial objective response in 22.7%, a stable state response in 13.6% and a subjective response in a further 31.8%. The patients who showed a response to treatment survived longer than those who did not show a response and with a better quality of life. The response rate was higher in patients who started treatment without significant delay after diagnosis of relapse. Metastatic disease responded better than the primary tumour. Side effects were not a significant problem.