prostate-report.org

Prostate cancer vaccine may get FDA approval

Experts say the anticipated approval this week of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could be a milestone against the disease and cancer in general.

The vaccine, called Provenge, appears to extend survival in men with advanced prostate cancer, and it does so without the serious side effects associated with chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. Provenge is not aimed at preventing prostate cancer in men who have not developed the disease, and it is far from a cure for those who have it. According to the deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, Provenge represents a modest advance in survival for patients with advanced prostate cancer, but the drug doesn’t delay the progression of the disease. Still, it might prove possible to use Provenge in the earlier stages of prostate cancer, where it might be even more effective.