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Epirubicin and medroxyprogesterone acetate versus estramustine phosphate in hormone-resistant prostatic cancer: a
C Anderström1, A Eddeland, P Folmerz
1Department of Urology, Kärnsjukhuset, Skövde, Sweden.
Abstract:
The effect of a medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) plus epirubicin combination versus estramustine phosphate was evaluated in 149 prospectively randomized patients with hormone-resistant prostatic cancer. The estimated probability of being free from progression after 1 year was 17% for the patients treated with estramustine and 29% for the MPA-epirubicin group. There is a significant difference between the two groups regarding risk of progression (p = 0.013). However, no difference in survival was recorded (p > 0.30) with about 60% of the patients dead during the first year in both groups. Progression was highly correlated to sedimentation rate (p < 0.001) and to performance index (p = 0.002). Heart failure occurred in a substantial number of patients in both groups which must be considered before starting therapy.