[Progress of endocrine therapy for prostate cancer and results]

We studied clinical results for newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients treated with first-line endocrine therapy during 1980-1989 (Nagasaki and Gunma Group Study). Of the 670 patients, 429 and 90 were given estrogens and chlormadinone acetate (CMA) with or without castration, respectively. LHRH agonists were administered to 136 patients and castration was done only in 15 patients. Estrogens were more often administered to patients with less differentiated and high-stage cases, whereas CMA was frequently used for those with more clearly differentiated and low stage. The cause-specific survival rate at 5 years for stage D patients was 45.8%. In a multivariate analysis of 5 possible prognostic factors (age, clinical stage, histological grade, estrogens and castration), stage and grade were found to have a significant effect on the cause-specific survival. However, estrogens and castration were not important factors. The results of total androgen blockade (TAB) done in Europe and the USA were discussed.