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Abiraterone shows promissing results for hormone treatmentCurrent prostate cancer treatments -- surgical removal of the testes or medication -- prevent the production of male hormones in the testes. But there are other parts of body that make male hormones and these approaches do not prevent their work. It seems that the new drug called abiraterone targets an enzyme called CYP17 that is necessary for the production of male hormones throughout the body. If this is the situation, the problem may be solved soon. A recent study the University of California, San Francisco, evaluated abiraterone's effectiveness. The trial involved men who had been surgically or medically treated to prevent testosterone production in the testes. None of them had been treated with chemotherapy, which is sometimes given when cancer continues to grow and spread despite treatment with hormone therapy. All men in the study took abiraterone orally once a day. After 12 weeks of treatment, abiraterone reduced PSA levels by 50% or more in 71% of the men. In two men, PSA fell to undetectable levels. The drug was generally well tolerated, with no patient stopping treatment due to side effects. There were some significant adverse reactions to abiraterone treatment, however. These included six cases of Grade 3 toxicities and two Grade 4 toxicities (bone pain and dizziness). Abiraterone is clearly not a drug without risk for side effects. The authors concluded their poster by stating that, "Abiraterone acetate was well-tolerated and demonstrates considerable activity in the pre-chemotherapy setting as a secondary hormonal therapy." The US developer of the drug is projecting now the initiation of Phase III trials in chemotherapy-naive patients in March this year. If the promising results hold up, the company will apply for FDA approval of the drug. But that's at least a few years away NOTE: Issues on this site regarding prostate cancer and treatment options, are provided for information only, and are not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional. Prostate-Report.org does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment. |
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