Significant benefit of initiating hormonal therapy sooner in men suffering from early prostate cancer

According to a recent research, there is a significant benefit of initiating hormonal therapy sooner in men suffering from early prostate cancer. Especially those men who experience a rapid doubling of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) level within six months of the start of their radiation therapy.

The researchers were also view that holding on to hormonal therapy in men whose Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) increased more slowly in relatively longer period of time.

This research, according to the investigators, might help in further refining the role of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) doubling time to help predict about the patients who may benefit from the Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) for biochemical failure.

Dr. Eric Horwitz, from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, talked about these findings on Tuesday at the “American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's” 50th Annual Meeting which is being held in Boston.

The findings come from a retrospective research of around four hundred and thirty two men with T1-3N0M0 prostate cancer. These men also showed Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) failure by the Nadir+2, or Phoenix, definition, which is an increase in Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) reading by a minimum of 2 ng/mL

by Jennifer Larson
radRounds.com, Writer
October 16, 2008