Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy followed by radical prostatectomy: Feasibility and preliminary results

Purpose: We assessed the feasibility and efficacy of integrating chemotherapy and androgen ablation with radical prostatectomy in patients with locally advanced prostate canter. The neoadjuvant approach wets adopted because it allows an in situ assessment of antitumoral activity, Patients and Methods: Thirty-three patients were enrolled who met the clinical criteria of stage T1-2, Gleason score of greater than or equal to 8 or T2b-T2c, Gleason score of 7 and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) lever greater than 10 ng/mL (n = 15), or clinical stage T3 (n = 18), Therapy consisted of 12 weeks of ketocanazole and doxorubicin alternating with vinblastine, estramustine, and androgen ablation followed by prostatectomy, The ability of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal therapy to induce a 20% rate of pT0 in the prostatectomy specimen as weft as surgical feasibility were assessed. Results: Chemotherapy complications were comparable to chose reported with this regimen previously. No major intraoperative complications occurred, Post-operative complications occurred in 10 (33%) of 30 patients. One patient died at home after discharge (postoperative day 17; no autopsy was performed). Ten (33%) of the 30 patients had organ-confined disease, and 20 (70%) of 30 had extraprostatic extension; 11 (37%) of the 30 had positive lymph nodes, Only five (17%) of 30 exhibited positive surgical margins. All patients achieved an undetectable PSA level postoperatively, and 20 of ate surviving 29 patients remain without disease recurrence with a median follow-up of 13 months (range, 9 to 18 months). Conclusion: Chemotherapy and androgen ablation followed by radical prostatectomy wets feasible in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer. Although the goal of achieving a 20% rate for pT0 status was not achieved, we believe this type of integrated therapeutic strategy should be investigated further for its ability to alter the course of regionally advanced prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 18:1050-1057, (C) 2000 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.