Per Olov Hedlund

Parenteral estrogen versus total androgen ablation in the treatment of advanced prostate carcinoma: effects on overall survival and cardiovascular mortality

OBJECTIVES To compare the effect on overall survival of total androgen ablation (TAA) with that of parenteral estrogen and to pay special attention to cardiovascular mortality. TAA (orchiectomy or a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue combined with an antiandrogen) has been proposed as superior to other endocrine treatments for patients with prostate carcinoma. Recently, the use of parenteral estrogen has been suggested to reduce or even negate the well-known cardiovascular side effects of oral estrogens. METHODS Nine hundred fifteen patients were randomized to intramuscular injections of 240 mg polyestradiol phosphate (PEP) every second week for the first 8 weeks (5 doses) followed by a maintenance dose of 240 mg every month (n = 458) or to bilateral orchiectomy or triptorelin 3.75 mg every month combined with the antiandrogen flutamide 250 mg three times daily. The choice between orchiectomy and triptorelin was at the discretion of the clinician and patient. Patients were stratified according to performance status, presence of cardiovascular disease, and alkaline phosphatase level. An observer totally unaware of the treatment given classified all deceased patients. RESULTS At a median follow-up of 18.5 months, no signs of a difference in overall survival were found between TAA and PEP (P <0.001). Of 458 patients, 266 (58.1%) had died in the PEP group compared with 269 (58.9%) of 457 patients in the TAA group. Within the TAA group, no difference in overall survival existed between patients who had undergone orchiectomy or who were given triptorelin. Furthermore, no differences in cardiovascular mortality were found (3.5% in the PEP group and 3.1% in the TAA group). CONCLUSIONS The current parenteral estrogen regimen seems to be of comparable efficacy and cardiovascular safety as TAA in terms of overall survival. PEP has by far the lowest drug cost and also the lowest cumulative direct costs and thus has the highest cost-effectiveness. We suggest that parenteral estrogen be included as a therapeutic option in the endocrine management of prostate carcinoma.

Parenteral estrogen versus combined androgen deprivation in the treatment of metastatic prostatic cancer: Part 2. Final evaluation of the Scandinavian Prostatic Cancer Group (SPCG) Study No. 5

Objective. To compare parenteral estrogen therapy in the form of high-dose polyestradiol phosphate (PEP; Estradurin®) with combined androgen deprivation (CAD) in the treatment of prostate cancer patients with skeletal metastases. The aim of the study was to compare anticancer efficacy and adverse events, especially cardiovascular events. Material and methods. In total, 910 eligible patients with T0–4, NX, M1, G1–3 prostate cancer with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2 were randomized to treatment with either PEP 240mg i.m. twice a month for 2months and thereafter monthly, or flutamide (Eulexin®) 250mg t.i.d. per os in combination with either triptorelin (Decapeptyl®) 3.75mg i.m. per month or on an optional basis bilateral orchidectomy. Results. At this final evaluation of the trial 855 of the 910 patients were dead. There was no difference between the treatment groups in terms of biochemical or clinical progression-free survival or in overall or disease-specific survival. There was no difference in cardiovascular mortality, but a significant increase in non-fatal cardiovascular events in the PEP arm (p<0.05) predominantly caused by an increase in ischemic heart and heart decompensation events. There were 18 grave skeletal events in the CAD group but none in the PEP group (p=0.001). Conclusions. PEP has an anticancer efficacy equal to CAD and does not increase cardiovascular mortality in metastasized patients, but carries a significant risk of non-fatal cardiovascular events, which should be balanced against the skeletal complications in the CAD group. It is feasible to use Estradurin in the primary or secondary endocrine treatment of metastasized patients without prominent cardiac risk factors and especially those with osteoporosis.

DEFERRED TREATMENT OF LOCALLY ADVANCED NONMETASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER: A LONG-TERM FOLLOWUP

PURPOSE We prospectively investigated long-term survival in select men with locally advanced, nonmetastatic prostate cancer managed with deferred treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 50 patients with prostate cancer clinically outside the prostatic capsule and without distant metastases were included in a surveillance protocol. The men were treated if and when symptoms occurred or upon request. The series was followed until December 1994. No patient was lost to followup. RESULTS Median patient age at diagnosis was 71 years. All patients were followed more than 144 months or died before then. Actual (cumulative incidence) overall and disease specific survival rates at 5, 10 and 12 years were 68 and 90, 34 and 74, and 26 and 70%, respectively. A third of the patients had not received antitumor treatment at followup or before death. CONCLUSIONS When managed with deferred treatment nonpoorly differentiated, locally advanced nonmetastatic prostate cancer seems to have a poorer survival outcome than similarly managed clinically localized prostate cancer. However, compared with other treatments and in terms of survival deferred treatment may be an option for select patients with such tumors and a life expectancy of 10 years or less.

Changes in blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients on different treatment regimens for prostatic cancer. - predictors for cardiovascular complications?

An analysis of haemostatic variables was done in 31 prostate cancer patients treated with oestrogens (13 pts), estramustine phosphate (7 pts) or orchidectomy (11 pts) before, at about 7 weeks and 6 months of treatment. Six patients treated with either of the drugs developed venous thromboembolism or ischemic vascular disease. Already before treatment there were changes indicating some activation of blood coagulation, fibrinolysis and kallikrein systems. The drug treated group showed significant changes in several variables: i.e. increase in factor VII, plasminogen and prekallikrein but also a decrease in antithrombin and in inhibitors to the fibrinolytic and kallikrein system. Significant difference between the drug treated groups was found in circulating platelet aggregates and in kallikrein inhibiting activity. Tissue plasminogen activator capacity was significantly lower in the drug treated patients with complications than in those without. The study also showed that in addition to the assay of the tissue plasminogen activator capacity during the first weeks of therapy it might be helpful in predicting cardiovascular complications to investigate platelet aggregates, prothrombin complex, factor X, von Willebrand factor antigen, fibrinogen, antithrombin, fibrino-peptide A, and the inhibitors of fibrinolysis as well as C1-esterase inhibitor.

Treatment of Prostatic Cancer: Effects on Serum Lipoproteins and the Cardiovascular System

We studied 32 patients with prostatic cancer before, and after 1 and 6 months of treatment with orchiectomy, estramustine phosphate or conventional estrogens (polyestradiol phosphate plus ethinyl estradiol). Lipid metabolism was evaluated by lipoprotein analysis and the intravenous fat tolerance test. Effects on the cardiovascular system were studied by exercise electrocardiography, blood volume estimation and thoracic electrical impedance measurement, a sensitive method to detect early signs of fluid retention. Present treatment programs for prostatic cancer seem to result in effects on lipoprotein metabolism that probably are of minor importance for the development of atherosclerotic manifestations. Measurement of thoracic impedance may be of value to detect fluid retention in individual patients.

PSA kinetics provide improved prediction of survival in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES To assess the value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in predicting survival and relate this to the baseline variables in men with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). METHODS The data from 417 men with HRPC were included in a logistic regression model that included hemoglobin, PSA, alkaline phosphatase, Soloway score, and performance status pain analgesic score at baseline. The posttreatment variables included the PSA level halving time after the start of treatment, PSA level at nadir, interval to nadir, PSA velocity (PSAV), PSA doubling time after reaching a nadir, patient age, and treatment. These variables were added to the baseline model, forming new logistic regression models that were tested for net reclassification improvement. RESULTS The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the baseline model was 0.67. Of all variables related to PSA kinetics, the PSAV was the best predictor. The addition of PSAV to the baseline model increased the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve to 0.81. Only a moderate increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (0.83) was achieved by combining the baseline model in a multivariate model with PSAV, PSA doubling time, interval to nadir, and patient age at diagnosis of HRPC. CONCLUSIONS The PSAV alone gave a better prediction of survival value than all other PSA kinetics variables. By combining PSAV with the variables available at baseline, a better ground for treatment decision-making in men with HRPC can be achieved.

Quality of life in patients with skeletal metastases of prostate cancer and status prior to start of endocrine therapy: Results from the scandinavian prostate cancer group study 5

Objectives Prostate cancer (PC) is a highly lethal neoplastic disease affecting the physical, mental and social well-being of patients, i.e. their quality of life (QOL). Patients suffering from metastatic PC are faced with serious decisions regarding treatment strategies. Therefore, QOL information has become a crucial element of decision making in this group of patients. The first objective of this study was to describe QOL in a group of patients diagnosed with metastatic PC and skeletal metastases. At the time of evaluation the patients had not received any treatment but were evaluated before entering a study of androgen-modulating therapy (the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group study 5). The second objective was to identify demographic and disease-related factors affecting QOL. Material and methods A total of 917 patients with metastatic PC were evaluated using a well-described and validated questionnaire [European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30)]. The characteristics of the PC were noted, and simultaneously patients were evaluated with respect to use of analgesics, pain and performance status using a scoring system. Biochemical tests were performed when patients entered the study. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to analyse the correlations between QOL scores, patient demographics and disease-related data. Results The patients reported QOL scores significantly lower than those in the background population. Pain and fatigue were pronounced, whereas dyspnoea, insomnia, loss of appetite, constipation and diarrhoea were less prominent. Patients with high tumour grades, high PSPA scores (the sum of the pain score, the performance status and the use of analgesics) and those using analgesics had significantly lower QOL scores than the other patients. Conclusions Patients with metastatic PC have reduced QOL. Our findings are in line with those of other studies of QOL among patients with this disease as evaluated by means of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Baseline data from studies like this provide important information when treatment modalities for PC are evaluated.

Significance of pretreatment cardiovascular morbidity as a risk factor during treatment with parenteral oestrogen or combined androgen deprivation of 915 patients with metastasized prostate cancer : Evaluation of cardiovascular events in a randomized trial

Abstract Objective. This study aimed to evaluate prognostic risk factors for cardiovascular events during treatment of metastatic prostate cancer patients with high-dose parenteral polyoestradiol phosphate (PEP, Estradurin) or combined androgen deprivation (CAD) with special emphasis on pretreatment cardiovascular disease. Material and methods. Nine-hundred and fifteen patients with T0–4, Nx, M1, G1–3, hormone- naïve prostate cancer were randomized to treatment with PEP 240 mg i.m. twice a month for 2 months and thereafter monthly, or to flutamide (Eulexin) 250 mg per os three times daily in combination with either triptorelin (Decapeptyl) 3.75 mg i.m. per month or on an optional basis with bilateral orchidectomy. Pretreatment cardiovascular morbidity was recorded and cardiovascular events during treatment were assessed by an experienced cardiologist. A multivariate analysis was done using logistic regression. Results. There was a significant increase in cardiovascular events during treatment with PEP in patients with previous ischaemic heart disease (p = 0.008), ischaemic cerebral disease (p = 0.002), intermittent claudication (p = 0.031) and especially when the whole group of patients with pretreatment cardiovascular diseases was analysed together (p < 0.001). In this group 33% of the patients had a cardiovascular event during PEP treatment. In the multivariate analysis PEP stood out as the most important risk factor for cardiac complications (p = 0.029). Even in the CAD group there was a significant increase in cardiovascular events in the group with all previous cardiovascular diseases taken together (p = 0.036). Conclusions. Patients with previous cardiovascular disease are at considerable risk of cardiovascular events during treatment with high-dose PEP and even during CAD therapy. Patients without pretreatment cardiovascular morbidity have a moderate cardiovascular risk during PEP treatment and could be considered for this treatment if the advantages of this therapy, e.g. avoidance of osteopenia and hot flushes and the low price, are given priority.

The effects of low-dose heparin treatment on patients undergoing transvesical prostatectomy.

SummaryPost-operative venous thrombosis, blood loss and pre-and post-operative plasma heparin concentrations were studied in a prospective double blind trial with low-dose heparin therapy in 59 patients undergoing transvesical prostatectomy. Thrombosis rate, diagnosed with the 125I-fibrinogen method, was significantly reduced in the first 5 post-operative days, i. e. during but not after the period of heparin therapy. One patient who developed major thrombosis in spite of heparin prophylaxis is presented. Heparin therapy did not increase average blood loss, but was suspected to be the cause of severe bleeding in 1 patient, who may have had a latent hemorhagic diathesis. Plasma heparin levels were significantly raised during heparin therapy, and were significantly lower in both heparin and placebo treated patients on days when thromboses started.

Evaluation and follow-up of patients with n1-3 m0 or nxm1 prostate cancer in phase iii trials

OBJECTIVES The aim of this discussion is to review the design and conduct of phase III trials in metastatic prostate cancer, to seek ways of improving their study design, accuracy, relevance to clinical practice, acceptability to patients, and ease of participation by clinicians. We also aim to try to set uniform definitions for the evaluation of the different endpoints used in clinical trials on metastasized prostate cancer. METHODS The work was started by correspondence between the participants in the group for the year before the consensus meeting. Two comprehensive questionnaires were circulated and the answers were distributed to all the members of the group. The statements were finalized during the consensus meeting. RESULTS There were some differing opinions concerning the methods of evaluation of endpoints for follow-up, such as time to tumor progression and time to treatment failure. After the consensus conference, there were no major disagreements within the group. CONCLUSIONS The aim of phase III trials is to influence clinical management. To obtain a credible result they require a sound statistical basis with appropriate power and encompassing patients from small urologic practices as well as large or academic institutions. However, deviation from routine practice may affect the accrual rate, and the trial procedure should therefore be as similar as possible to routine management. Trials inevitably involve extra work and cost. Both should be kept to a minimum to encourage participation and hasten a timely conclusion. It is mandatory to create uniform ways of designing and evaluating clinical trials in prostate cancer.