Combined androgen blockade with bicalutamide for advanced prostate cancer: long-term follow-up of a phase 3, double-blind, randomized study for survival

Cancer. 2009 Aug 1;115(15):3437-45. doi: 10.1002/cncr.24395.

Abstract

Background: A previously reported, double-blind, randomized, multicenter phase 3 trial in 205 patients with stage C/D prostate cancer compared combined androgen blockade (CAB) with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LHRH-A) plus bicalutamide 80 mg versus LHRH-A plus bicalutamide-matching placebo (LHRH-A monotherapy). The analysis at a median follow-up of 2.4 years indicated that CAB significantly (P<.001) prolonged the time to progression and the time to treatment failure. In the current report, survival data from a long-term follow-up (median, 5.2 years) were analyzed.

Methods: All deaths irrespective of cause and all prostate cancer-specific deaths were recorded. The data were analyzed using Cox regression analysis and the log-rank test.

Results: At a median follow-up of 5.2 years, a significant overall survival advantage was observed in favor of CAB over LHRH-A monotherapy (Cox regression analysis: hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.99; P=.0498; log-rank test: P=.0425). The difference in cause-specific survival between the 2 groups was not significant. The achievement of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir concentration<or=1 ng/mL was a prognostic factor for improved survival. More patients attained PSA nadir concentrations<or=1 ng/mL with CAB compared with patients who received LHRH-A monotherapy (81.4% vs 33.7%; P<.001).

Conclusions: CAB with bicalutamide 80 mg offered a significant overall survival benefit compared with LHRH-A monotherapy without reducing tolerability in patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Androgen Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Anilides / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Disease Progression
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nitriles / administration & dosage*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / analysis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tosyl Compounds / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • Anilides
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Nitriles
  • Tosyl Compounds
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • bicalutamide
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen